Vivek Ramaswamy campaign launches eight-figure ad buy in early-voting states

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is rolling out an eight-figure ad buy in two of the first early nominating states as he seeks to reverse sliding poll numbers.

Ramaswamy, a 38-year-old biotech entrepreneur, had seen his poll numbers rise in the summer, propelling him to third place in some national and state surveys, but after the first two GOP primary debates, in which he was the target of several attacks, Ramaswamy’s support has dipped.

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The $7-8 million in Iowa and $3-4 million in New Hampshire Ramaswamy is spending will target voters through broadcast, cable, radio, digital, and direct mail starting on Saturday through the primary season, including next year’s Iowa caucuses. In one thirty-second ad, Ramaswamy claims to “speak the truth,” saying there are only two genders, reverse racism is racism, and an open border is not a border, among other issues he has campaigned on.

“Vivek’s not an idiot. Going up any time earlier would have been stupid. And this is just the beginning. If people thought he was aggressive with events leading up to this, stay tuned for post-November 8,” Tricia McLaughlin, Ramaswamy’s spokeswoman, confirmed to the Washington Examiner ahead of next week’s third GOP debate in Miami, Florida.

Ramaswamy currently polls at 4.6% according to RealClearPolitics national average, but in the days just before the first primary debate, he was polling at 7.2%, prompting several of his 2024 rivals to take aim at him during the debate. Yet Ramaswamy, as his the entire GOP field, is struggling to put any sizable dent in former President Donald Trump’s lead in the race.

Trump is leading the field at 59.3%, according to RealClearPolitics, and outraised all his Republican competitors in the third quarter campaign reports. The most recent NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa poll showed Trump at 43% support above Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who both received 16% support, followed by Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) at 7%. Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie both received 4% support.

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In a similar fashion to Ramaswamy, DeSantis’s campaign launched its first ad on Iowa airwaves this week ahead of a planned launch for later this month. The Florida governor has zeroed in on winning the Iowa caucuses in an effort to block Trump’s path to the GOP presidential nomination.

But Trump has repeatedly traveled to Iowa in recent weeks, hoping to get his supporters to pledge they will back him during the caucuses and effectively wrap up the nomination.