Vivek Ramaswamy is backed by Donald Trump in the Ohio elections
Vivek Ramaswamy’s victory in the Ohio Republican primary triggered a wave of reactions across the US political spectrum, with supporters in Donald Trump’s MAGA movement celebrating his win while online commentators debate his Indian-origin roots.The Indian-American entrepreneur is a close ally of President Donald Trump and secured the Republican nomination for governor of Ohio after defeating fellow Republican Casey Putsch in Tuesday’s primary contest, according to projected results.Putsch is known for his anti-H1-B stance and push of traditionalism and Christian values within the state.Speaking at his victory event, Ramaswamy said his focus would be on rebuilding the state. He told supporters his aim was to “leave this state and this country better than we found it”. Ramaswamy has often mentioned the American founding fathers in his speeches, along with the ideas they proposed.He will now face Democratic nominee Amy Acton in November, the former Ohio public health director who ran unopposed in her primary. Acton told supporters she wanted to ease financial pressure on working families. Ramaswamy’s win was well noticed within the MAGA movement. The US president praised him in a series of social media posts, calling him “SPECIAL.”“I know Vivek well, competed against him, and he is something SPECIAL. He is Young, Strong, and Smart!” Trump wrote.Vice president JD Vance also showed support by voting in person for Ramaswamy in Cincinnati on Tuesday.The result strengthens Ramaswamy’s position as a rising figure in the MAGA movement, after first gaining national attention during his 2024 presidential bid. Although he dropped out early, he remained a prominent Trump supporter and later assisted in efforts tied to the proposed Department of Government Efficiency initiative (DOGE) along with billionaire Elon Musk.However, the victory also sparked heated commentary online from far-right influencers, exposing divisions within conservative circles. Conservative commentator Laura Loomer posted on X: “Your daily reminder that X isn’t real life and Woke Reich losers have no real influence in the real world.”She added, “Congratulations to Vivek Ramaswamy, a brown Indian American who is more America First than any of the bigoted assholes who said he should not be allowed to hold office simply because he is brown.”Loomer is known for her hardline anti-immigration and anti-Islam views. She wrote: “This is cancer to the GOP and I am glad voters rejected this Woke Reich bullshit. It’s disgusting. And it needs to stop.” Separately, right-wing commentator Nick Fuentes also weighed in, saying Ramaswamy cannot become the governor while suggesting tactical voting in the general election to not allow him to win.Fuentes said: “We’re gonna have to hold our noses and we’re gonna have to vote Democrat.”He added: “So what is the alternative? Well, not everybody’s going to like this. But in November there’s gonna be two candidates that can win on the ballot in Ohio and it is Acton on the Democrat side and Ramaswamy on the Republican side.”He further said that Republicans would have to choose a democrat in Ohio: “If it can’t be Ramaswamy, I think you know what it has to be. And so I’m gonna call on everybody going to Ohio and we’re giving people a choice. You have an option: stay home. But if you really want to make a difference and help, hold our noses… vote Democrat.”Fuentes has previously made racist remarks about immigration and Indian communities in US. He is often dubbed as a “White supermacist” and “Nazi” by social media users. He also says there is an “Indian invasion” going on in US and that it is “ruining the lives” of Americans.
