Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur and Republican political activist dubbed the "CEO of Anti-Woke," is running for president, he announced Tuesday night.
Ramaswamy, who left his job as a biotech executive in 2021 to publish Woke, Inc: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam, launched his campaign during an interview with Fox News host Tucker Carlson. In a subsequent campaign video, the Ohio native decried the "woke left" for advancing what he called "psychological slavery" and pledged to "revive American exceptionalism."
"This isn't a political campaign, this is a cultural movement to create a new American dream for the next generation," Ramaswamy said.
We’ve celebrated our 'diversity" so much that we forgot all the ways we’re really the same as Americans, bound by ideals that united a divided, headstrong group of people 250 years ago. I believe deep in my bones those ideals still exist. I’m running for President to revive them. pic.twitter.com/bz5Qtt4tmm
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) February 22, 2023
Ramaswamy joins a Republican primary field that already includes former president Donald Trump and former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley. Though he is a longshot to emerge as the party's nominee, his campaign is unlikely to lack cash—Forbes in 2016 named Ramaswamy one of America's "richest entrepreneurs under 40," and the bestselling author counts billionaire Peter Thiel as a business partner.
Trump, Haley, and Ramaswamy will likely face increased competition in the coming months, with candidates including former secretary of state Mike Pompeo, former vice president Mike Pence, and Florida governor Ron DeSantis all expected to enter the primary.