We are just under three weeks away from the Iowa Republican caucus, the first nominating contest in the country. Former and potentially future President Donald Trump has a historic lead in the polls, though he's still facing four other candidates. The latest move from Vivek Ramaswamy has some, including Democratic strategist David Axelrod, wondering if he'll even make it to Iowa, or will instead drop out to endorse Trump.
Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign stops all TV ad spending less than a month before Iowa and New Hampshire.
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) December 26, 2023
Just hard to capture his self-proclaimed greatness in 30 seconds ads?
Or...maybe he's fixing to drop out and endorse Trump. https://t.co/SGDLC3nK1S
In making his prediction, Axelrod was sharing an article from NBC News, "Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign stops all TV ad spending less than a month before Iowa and New Hampshire," published Tuesday night.
NBC notes that Ramaswamy was spending more than $200,000 in the first full week of December, but spent $6,000 on ads, all on TV, citing figures from AdImpact. The report also began by mentioning that Ramaswamy "does not have any TV ad reservations booked."
According to Tricia McLaughlin, who serves as the campaign press secretary, the campaign is still spending on ads, but not on TV. As she explained it, they're looking to best reach voters they've identified, with McLaughlin also noting the move is intentional:
Ramaswamy’s campaign says it is still spending money on ads, just not on TV.
“We are focused on bringing out the voters we’ve identified — best way to reach them is using addressable advertising, mail, text, live calls and doors to communicate with our voters on Vivek’s vision for America, making their plan to caucus and turning them out,” Tricia McLaughlin, the campaign’s press secretary told NBC News.
“As you know, this isn’t what most campaigns look like. We have intentionally structured this way so that we have the ability to be nimble and hypertargeted in our ad spending,” McLaughlin added.
McLaughlin also provided a comment for Townhall about Axelrod's prediction. "David Axelrod and the rest of the bipartisan Establishment should get ready for a serious upset by Vivek on Jan 15. They’ll never learn," she offered. Not long after publication, she provided an additional comment, noting "$190 mm in traditional advertising has been spent in this race nationally. Polls have barely changed. We spend our money to identify the vivek voter and how we are spending that money to turn them out."
Ramaswamy himself posted from his own X account making similar remarks. "We're doing it differently," his post read in part, as he too previewed how there's a "Big surprise coming on Jan. 15," complete with an American flag emoji.
Presidential TV ad spending is idiotic, low-ROI & a trick that political consultants use to bamboozle candidates who suffer from low IQ.
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) December 27, 2023
We’re doing it differently. Spending $$ in a way that follows data…apparently a crazy idea in US politics.
Big surprise coming on Jan 15. 🇺🇸 https://t.co/i2X7Q5d2T9
Ramaswamy has spoken highly of Trump, which includes referring to him as the "best president of the 21st century," as he did during the first RNC debate in August. Those comments earned praise from Trump himself.
As he told Fox News not long after those comments, Ramaswamy is looking to take America First "to the next level."
"I think we need to aspire for excellence. We're Americans. We aspire constantly higher. So, yes, George Bush, Barack Obama, Joe Biden. I put Donald Trump by far at the top of that pack. But I want to build on the foundation that he laid to take the America First agenda to the next level," he told Fox News. "I think it will take someone of a different generation with fresh legs and an actual positive vision for the country to get us there. I think I can deliver a landslide election in a way that nobody else in this race can. Building that multi-ethnic working class coalition that includes people both young and old to make it happen, black and white, inner city and rural. That's my sense of responsibility that I have to deliver it. And I think that's what we need to reunite this country."
Ramswamy has also spoken out against the weaponization against Trump with the various indictments from progressive district attorneys and Special Counsel Jack Smith, promising to pardon Trump if he's elected. Last week, Ramaswamy also said he'd withdraw from the ballot in Colorado, in solidarity with Trump after the Colorado Supreme Court kicked Trump off of the ballot.
More recently, during Ramaswamy's appearance earlier this week on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures," the candidate was asked by Maria Bartiromo if he'd take a position in the Trump administration, should Trump indeed serve for another term.
"Frankly, I think that I’m not a Plan B person," Ramaswamy replied. "I didn’t get to where I am; I’m 38 years old, I’ve founded multiple multi-billion dollar companies, we’re blessed with the American dream to be able to self-finance and lift this campaign up. I didn't get to where I am, and [my wife] Apoorva didn’t get to where she is by being plan B people," he added. "I’m actually confident we’re going to over-deliver massively at the Iowa caucus," he also shared.
Ramaswamy is overall polling in fourth place, with 4 percent support. He's also in fourth place in Iowa, though with slightly more support, at 5.9 percnt.