‘He wants Trump VP spot’: Vivek Ramaswamy mocked for stopping ‘idiotic and low ROI’ TV ad spending

CINCINNATI, OHIO: Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy slammed presidential TV ad spending as “idiotic and low-ROI” after his campaign stopped funding for all television ads less than one month before the GOP primary election season began with the Iowa caucus.

The 38-year-old Indian-American tech entrepreneur addressed his campaign's shocking move in a tweet on Wednesday, December 27, saying “Presidential TV ad spending is idiotic, low-ROI & a trick that political consultants use to bamboozle candidates who suffer from low IQ.”

“We’re doing it differently. Spending $$ in a way that follows data… apparently a crazy idea in US politics. Big surprise coming on Jan 15,” he added.

Why did Ramaswamy’s campaign stop ad funding?

Ramaswamy’s campaign announced the move to stop ad funding on Tuesday, December 26, saying the campaign is maintaining its total advertising outlays.

“We are focused on bringing out the voters we’ve identified — the best way to reach them is using addressable advertising, mail, text, live calls, and doors to communicate with our voters on Vivek’s vision for America, making their plan to caucus and turning them out,” Ramaswamy’s campaign press secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement, according to NBC News.

“As you know, this isn’t what most campaigns look like. We have intentionally structured this way so that we have the ability to be nimble and hyper-targeted in our ad spending,” the statement continued.

With the revelation, the biotech entrepreneur—who earlier this month announced a $12 million ad-buy in Iowa and New Hampshire—marks a dramatic change in campaign approach.

Ramaswamay's campaign has spent a total of $2.2 million on TV, radio, and internet commercials since launching the multi-million dollar ad buy in early November, according to NBC News, which cited statistics from the company AdImpact.

About $200,000 of that came in the first full week of December, while just last week, it spent around $6,000 on ads, all of which were for TV, the outlet added.

Ramaswamy’s rivals — former President Donald Trump, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie — are still buying up ads on the US airwaves.

Internet reacts to Ramaswamy’s remarks

Ramaswamy’s remarks regarding his campaign’s decision has garnered mixed reactions on social media, with one saying “He's wanting that TRUMP VP spot!”

“Why would he spend money on TV ads in a place that he isn't going to win? This isn't a smart move, it is him just giving up,” the second user agreed.

“Is the big surprise your endorsement of Trump? No, none of us are surprised. We’re just wondering when he gives the instruction to you,” the third user wrote.

“Vivek is a noncontender and is throwing in the towel now that he’s broke,” the fourth user slammed while the fifth one said “What surprise? Everyone already knows you will be quitting."

“Who needs Ads when you are doing 8 campaign stops a day in Iowa? Wth actually looks at a TV ad and goes Damn…I was totally against this person but now ALL IN,” one more user wrote.

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