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Vivek Ramaswamy, chairman and founder of Montes Archimedes Acquisition Corp., speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas, US, on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. The Conservative Political Action Conference launched in 1974 brings together conservative organizations, elected leaders, and activists.

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Anti-ESG Crusader Joins GOP Presidential Race

By Mark Niquette

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Ohio biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who’s railed against “woke” investing based on environmental, social and governance principles, has launched a battle for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.

Ramaswamy, 37, had said he was “strongly considering” a run and on Tuesday filed a statement of candidacy and created a presidential committee with the Federal Election Commission. An individual who’s raised or spent $5,000 on a presidential run is required to register as a candidate with the FEC.

He made his announcement on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News program on Tuesday night.

“In order to put America first, we have to first rediscover what America is,” Ramaswamy said, taking aim at everything from illegal immigration to affirmative action to efforts to address climate change.

He promised to return America to a system of meritocracy while taking aim at enemies abroad including China and Mexican drug cartels and at home, including the Washington bureaucracy.

A native of southwestern Ohio, Ramaswamy didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment. But he has been meeting power brokers and giving speeches in Iowa and key states, highlighting his belief that the U.S. has moved away from its founding values.

He would bring business expertise to what could be a crowded 2024 Republican roster. By going after ESG, he is targeting one of the favorite lanes of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is also expected to jump into the race. The other declared GOP candidates so far are former President Donald Trump and former South Carolina Governor and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.

Ramaswamy is the author of Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam. He co-founded Strive Asset Management, which launched last year with backing from billionaire investors including Peter Thiel and Bill Ackman after issuers such as BlackRock Inc. promoted ESG funds in recent years.

After his announcement, Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison pointed out in a statement that it had been made on Carlson’s program. “The race for the MAGA base is getting messier and more crowded by the day,” Harrison said.

– With assistance from Bill Allison.

(Pictured: Vivek Ramaswamy)

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