Vivek Ramaswamy was a standout final month within the first Republican presidential debate. Within the second debate on Wednesday, he was a goal.
Nikki Haley, Tim Scott and even the usually mild-mannered former Vice President Mike Pence all took swipes at Mr. Ramaswamy, a 38-year-old entrepreneur and a political newcomer who has staked out some populist positions that defy conventional Republican ideology.
The assaults have been broad and searing. Mr. Ramaswamy was hit on his enterprise dealings with China, his pledges to chop off assist to Ukraine and even his presence on TikTok.
“Truthfully, each time I hear you, I really feel a bit of bit dumber,” Ms. Haley mentioned, criticizing his use of TikTok.
In response to a query about why he disagreed with Mr. Ramaswamy’s pledge to finish birthright citizenship for the kids of undocumented immigrants, Mr. Scott turned to Mr. Ramaswamy’s final debate efficiency.
“We take into consideration the truth that Vivek mentioned we’re all good individuals, and I recognize that, as a result of on the final debate he mentioned we have been all purchased and paid for,” Mr. Scott mentioned, including that he didn’t perceive how Mr. Ramaswamy might say that when he himself did enterprise with the “Chinese language Communist Get together and the identical folks that funded Hunter Biden thousands and thousands of {dollars}.”
Mr. Ramaswamy argued that he had pulled his firm out of China when different C.E.O.s had not. However Mr. Pence dug in additional, mentioning the truth that Mr. Ramaswamy had acknowledged he didn’t vote till comparatively not too long ago.
“Let me say, I’m glad Vivek pulled out of his enterprise deal in 2018 in China,” Mr. Pence mentioned. “That should’ve been across the time you determined to start out voting in presidential elections.”