Nikki Haley
With roughly a year and a half until the 2024 presidential contest, the field of candidates is largely set. Former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have dominated the early Republican race, despite three Indian-American leaders seeking to challenge his position and “make America great again.” Among them are Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, and Hirsh Vardhan Singh, who have expressed their intentions to contest the nomination. President Joe Biden faces a couple of Democratic challengers but is expected to secure his party’s nomination. Trump, the former president announced his third campaign for the White House at his Mar-a-Lago resort, forcing the party to again decide whether to embrace a candidate whose refusal to accept defeat in 2020 sparked the U.S. Capitol attack and still dominates his speeches.
On the other hand, Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor officially launched his 2024 presidential campaign in a glitch-marred Twitter announcement, casting himself as Trump’s only legitimate Republican rival. Heralding his state as a place “where woke goes to die,” DeSantis has framed his campaign around a desire to bring the conservative policies he championed in Florida to the national stage. He has made a name for himself battling with Disney over the entertainment giant’s opposition to a bill dubbed by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, which bans instruction or classroom discussion of LGBTQ issues in Florida public schools for all grades. Under his governorship, the state has also banned abortions after six weeks of pregnancy and blocked public colleges from using federal or state funding on diversity programs
The Republican Party’s national convention is scheduled for July 15-18, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the official presidential nominee will be formally selected.
Certainly, this 2024 Presidential election would be an interesting event to watch out for as the three Indian origin contenders in the race are already making headlines. Ever since the election of UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, probably the world has opened up to Indians as potential leaders capable enough to be at responsible positions.
Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and Trump’s initial ambassador to the United Nations, is the only woman contender in the Republican primary contest. Despite being perceived as an underestimated underdog, she proudly recounted her tenure in the Trump administration. Nevertheless, she openly criticised Trump’s baseless post-election pursuit to challenge alleged voter fraud that cost him the 2020 election.
Despite polling low, Haley demonstrated remarkable fundraising abilities, with the Stand For America Fund Inc. Super PAC raising $18.7 million from April to June, amassing a total of $26 million in donations. Notably, she garnered support from affluent GOP donors such as Kenneth Langone, Alice Walton, and Kenneth Fisher, who each contributed $6,600.
Vivek Ramaswamy
Vivek Ramaswamy, a tech entrepreneur and son of Indian immigrants, entered the US Republican presidential nomination race as an outsider but has now surged to the third position.
A Reuters-Ipsos poll revealed that he enjoys the support of 9% of Republican leaders, while former President Donald Trump leads with a commanding 47%, followed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at 19%. Ramaswamy’s campaign focuses on innovative drug development and healthcare transformation, vowing to restore meritocracy and reduce dependency on China. Impressively, he raised $7.7 million in the second quarter, with $5.4 million from his personal funds. Since launching his bid, he has invested a total of $16 million.
Hirsh Vardhan Singh
Hirsh Vardhan Singh, a 38-year-old engineer, has joined the crowded US Presidential race as a conservative Republican. He aims to prioritise citizens and restore the conservative wing of the New Jersey Republican Party. Despite unsuccessful attempts in previous elections, he remains committed to his “America First” principles. Singh describes himself as the “only pureblood candidate” for never giving in to Covid vaccinations.
His candidacy has drawn attention due to his staunch conservative values and positions on vaccination. In a video message posted on Twitter, Singh said, “he is a “lifelong Republican” and “America First” conservative who worked to restore a conservative wing of the New Jersey Republican Party. We need strong leadership to reverse the changes that have occurred in the past few years and restore American values. That is why I have decided to seek the Republican Party’s nomination for the 2024 election for the office of president of the United States.”
He ran in the Republican primaries for governor of New Jersey in 2017 and 2021, for a House seat in 2018 and for Senate in 2020 but was unsuccessful in winning the Republican Party’s nomination, the report said. In his most recent run for governor, he campaigned as a more conservative option more closely aligned with former president Trump than the eventual nominee, Jack Ciattarelli, but he came in third for the nomination.
Whatever may be the result, it certainly is a matter of pride to see Indians making a mark, exhibiting the courage and confidence to take on the world’s most awaited event.
