


Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will deliver the keynote speech during the Republican National Committee's summer meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, following his participation in the primary debate on Wednesday.
The meeting, which has been ongoing this week in Wisconsin, will feature keynote remarks from Ramaswamy. Ramaswamy's campaign and a source familiar with RNC planning confirmed the speech to the Washington Examiner.
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Ramaswamy's speech is taking place Thursday evening and was planned before the debate.
Last week, Alison Prange, chief operating officer for the Milwaukee 2024 Host Committee, said she was expecting around 7,000 visitors during the weeklong summer meeting, which also included a vendor fair with local businesses. She also said the event would serve as a test run for the Republican National Convention on July 15-18, 2024.
Ramaswamy, climbing in national polls and beating out established politicians — such as former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), and even Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) in some surveys — took the debate stage by storm on Wednesday evening and was one of the biggest targets for opponents.
However, his apparent national appeal isn't necessarily translating to a boost in key early caucus and primary states. In a new Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom poll, Ramaswamy received just 4%, a departure from 10% nationally. One political strategist suggested his online popularity isn't going to lead to voter support. "He kind of comes out of that internet buzz machine, sort of the MAGA world. He reverberates inside that bubble a lot. I don't think he's got any traction in the voter world," David Kochel said.
Ramaswamy has been the fiercest defender of former President Donald Trump during the primary campaign, while others have been more hesitant and careful with their words regarding Trump's legal trouble.
"Let's just speak the truth. Trump was the best president of the 21st century. Chris Christie, your claim that Donald Trump is motivated by vengeance and grievance would be more credible if your campaign were not based on vengeance and grievance against one man," he said during the debate.
Ramaswamy had the second-most speaking time at the event, with 11 minutes and 47 seconds. Pence had the most at 12 minutes and 37 seconds. The two sparred at several points during the evening, with Pence labeling Ramaswamy a "rookie."
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"You got people on this stage that won't even talk about issues like Social Security and Medicare. I mean, Vivek, you recently said a president can't do everything," he said. "Well, I got news for you, Vivek — I've been in a hallway, I've been in the West Wing. A president in the United States has to confront every crisis facing America."
Ramaswamy's emergence as the main target contradicted predictions that DeSantis would be the focus.