Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign makes big call on TV ads ahead of 2024 GOP primary

Des Moines, Iowa - Republican primary candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign is no longer spending money on TV ads.

Republican presidential contender Vivek Ramaswamy has confirmed his campaign is no longer spending money on TV ads less than a month before the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries.
Republican presidential contender Vivek Ramaswamy has confirmed his campaign is no longer spending money on TV ads less than a month before the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries.  © SCOTT OLSON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

Ramaswamy's campaign made the call less than a month before the first Republican primary contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Figures from AdImpact, obtained by NBC, show that the biotech billionaire's team spent just $6,000 on TV ads last week, as compared to over $200,000 in the first full week of December.

"Presidential TV ad spending is idiotic, low-ROI & a trick that political consultants use to bamboozle candidates who suffer from low IQ," Ramaswamy wrote on X.

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"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, referencing the date of the Iowa caucuses.

Donald Trump responds to Ramaswamy campaign's decision

Former president and 2024 GOP frontrunner Donald Trump praised Vivek Ramaswamy as a "good man" in a recent Truth Social post.
Former president and 2024 GOP frontrunner Donald Trump praised Vivek Ramaswamy as a "good man" in a recent Truth Social post.  © SCOTT OLSON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

TV is the medium that has traditionally seen the most dollars spent in political advertising.

Tricia McLaughlin, the campaign's press secretary, told NBC: "We are focused on bringing out the voters we’ve identified – 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."

"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 hypertargeted in our ad spending," she said.

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Republican frontrunner Donald Trump took to Truth Social to respond to the Ramaswamy campaign's decision.

"He will, I am sure, Endorse me. But Vivek is a good man, and is not done yet!" the ex-president wrote.

Some have speculated that Ramaswamy may be a potential Trump VP pick if he drops out of the presidential primary race. The latter's decision to pull TV ads has only ramped up those rumors.

Cover photo: SCOTT OLSON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

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