While the first Republican presidential debate had its share of zingers and face-offs, some candidates are seeing their debate efforts translate into tangible results. Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, a relative newcomer to the political scene, seems to have benefited most visibly.
In the aftermath of the Milwaukee debate, Ramaswamy’s campaign has reported a significant uptick in financial support. His campaign amassed an impressive $450,000, and what’s even more heartening for grassroots conservatives, is that the average donation hovered around $38. This indicates a wide base of support rather than reliance on a few high-dollar donors.
Although the debate stage missed the electric presence of the GOP front-runner, Donald Trump, Ramaswamy, holding center stage, took this opportunity to drive home some hard-hitting points. He criticized his rivals, describing some as “super PAC puppets” and accused them of leaning on rehearsed slogans. His verbal jousting with former VP Mike Pence over a potential Trump pardon became a notable moment of the evening.
Yet, amidst the challenges thrown and punches traded, Ramaswamy also had his light-hearted moments. Borrowing a line from former President Barack Obama, he humorously referenced himself as the “skinny guy with a funny last name”. While this generated laughs and brought back memories of the 2004 Democratic National Convention, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie quipped that the businessman sounded like “ChatGPT.”
Ramaswamy, now in third place in the GOP primary polls, has largely bootstrapped his campaign. The debate’s aftermath showcases a promising influx of funds, supplementing his already substantial campaign coffers.
Other candidates, like South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, used the debate platform for direct fundraising appeals. The effectiveness of these pitches remains to be seen. However, some major donors have started to voice their post-debate opinions. Following the debate, donor Hal Lambert expressed satisfaction with his preferred candidate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, praising him for maintaining composure amidst the onstage spats.
In an interesting fundraising strategy, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum introduced the concept of $20 “Biden Relief Cards” as an incentive for low-dollar donations. The creativity of this approach highlights the competitive and inventive nature of the campaign trail as candidates vie to meet the RNC’s unique donor requirements for debates.
In all, while the debate stage was ablaze with discussion and discord, it’s clear that its ramifications are already being felt in campaign coffers and strategies. The road to the 2024 elections is heating up, and every debate moment counts.
