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FOR YEARS, I’VE BEEN ASKING Trump’s voters whom they’d like to see run for president in the future, or simply which political figures they feel are speaking their language—since, after all, Trump can’t run again.
And for a long time, one of the more popular answers has been a somewhat unexpected figure: 2024 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
These are the kinds of things I have heard about Ramaswamy from Trump voters around the country, both MAGA veterans and Biden-to-Trump types newer to the GOP coalition:
“I think that he’s helping to control the narrative and lead the discussion, especially at the debates.” (from a November 2023 focus group)
“I think he’s very smart. He’d be great in the cabinet. I don’t think he’s ready to be a president. I think he’s young, like others say, but very much a know-it-all.” (January 2024)
“He’s really intelligent, seems to really have a grasp on the economy, and is a good speaker, like Trump, without some of the craziness.” (July 2025)¹
This all sounds pretty complimentary, the type of foundation for a long career in politics: Vivek is a brainiac, a striver, and someone who’s good at being “right” and owning his debate opponents à la Ben Shapiro.
But when you narrow the focus groups to Trump voters in Ohio—where Ramaswamy is locked in a tight race for governor—the reaction radically changes. In fact, it shows that Ramaswamy has a major problem:...
