Calling for a “national revival” based on America’s founding principles, Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy urged conservatives to seize a “1776 moment” Saturday at the Gathering conference.
“I want to make concepts like faith and family and patriotism and hard work cool again for young Americans,” the 38-year-old entrepreneur said. “Those are not antiquated concepts.”
Ramaswamy is the political outsider in the GOP field of White House hopefuls, a position he touted throughout his appearance alongside conference host and radio talk show host Erick Erickson. Much like the last nonpolitician to mount a serious White House run — former President Donald Trump — Ramaswamy professes on a nationalistic, America-first agenda.
On Saturday, he labeled his vision a “modern Monroe Doctrine,” a reference to the policy then-President James Monroe laid out in 1823 that insisted foreign countries are obligated to respect the U.S.’ sphere of interest.
Ramaswamy warned of one threat in particular: China. He pledged that with him as president America would achieve “economic independence” from China and deter the Asian superpower from military aggression against its neighbors, specifically Taiwan.
Ramaswamy’s message seemed to resonate with those in attendance at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta ballroom in much the same way it has with Americans surveyed in recent national polls. According to a poll aggregator tool on the website FiveThirtyEight, Ramaswamy is now the third choice among GOP candidates behind Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with 8.4%. Ramaswamy outpolled DeSantis in five surveys.
Ramaswamy credits his growing appeal to the public’s greater awareness of his background and policy positions. He is a first-generation American, the son of Indian immigrants, who attained great wealth as a venture capitalist and biotech entrepreneur.
He cites his youthful age as an advantage and reminded Gathering listeners that Thomas Jefferson was 33 years old when he signed the Declaration of Independence.
“I’m an explorer, we are the pioneers, the people who will say nothing is going to stop me from achieving my maximal God-given potential,” he said. “In fact, I have a duty to use my potential to make the greatest possible contribution.”
Added Ramaswamy, “No, I don’t believe it is my job to wait my turn in some bureaucracy.”
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