Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign has reached out to the Libertarian Party in Iowa to inquire about running for president on the party's ticket.
Campaign operatives for Ramaswamy attended a local party event this week, and Ramaswamy has had conversations with two Iowa Libertarian officials, including one instance where he expressed interest in joining the ticket, one of those officials confirmed.
Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur and author who in 2004 voted for a Libertarian presidential candidate, has openly criticized Republican leadership and policy as he seeks the party's presidential nomination in the first-in-the-nation caucus state.
But he has struggled to gain traction in Iowa and other early states, Ramaswamy's potential defection to a third-party ticket could shake up an election that already contains several independent hopefuls.
Asked Thursday if he would run under the Libertarian ticket should he be defeated in the Republican race, Ramaswamy told the Register, "No." But he held out the possibility the Libertarian Party might nominate him.
"I expect to get the GOP nomination," Ramaswamy said. "I have strong libertarian instincts. I can't stop them from nominating me, and I would be proud if they did."
Ramaswamy spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told the Register on Thursday morning that the candidate was running as a Republican, not a Libertarian, and that the campaign was focused on bringing libertarians to support Ramaswamy in the Republican caucuses.
At a campaign event focused on eminent domain last week, Ramaswamy spoke briefly with Ryan Kurt, chair of the Polk County Libertarian Party. Kurt said that when he told Ramaswamy his role, the Republican candidate "mentioned that he might be interested in pursuing the Libertarian ticket."
"I told him if you're going to do that, you might want to start talking to some libertarians," Kurt said.
Days later, Kurt said he received a call from Ramaswamy's campaign asking if it could send representatives to the Polk County chapter's monthly meeting Wednesday. During that meeting, Ramaswamy's representatives discussed "logistics of a possible LP run and some of the nuances of Iowa politics," including the ability to be nominated for multiple party caucuses, Kurt said.
Campaign operatives for Ramaswamy attended a local party event this week, and Ramaswamy has had conversations with two Iowa Libertarian officials, including one instance where he expressed interest in joining the ticket, one of those officials confirmed.
Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur and author who in 2004 voted for a Libertarian presidential candidate, has openly criticized Republican leadership and policy as he seeks the party's presidential nomination in the first-in-the-nation caucus state.
But he has struggled to gain traction in Iowa and other early states, Ramaswamy's potential defection to a third-party ticket could shake up an election that already contains several independent hopefuls.
Asked Thursday if he would run under the Libertarian ticket should he be defeated in the Republican race, Ramaswamy told the Register, "No." But he held out the possibility the Libertarian Party might nominate him.
"I expect to get the GOP nomination," Ramaswamy said. "I have strong libertarian instincts. I can't stop them from nominating me, and I would be proud if they did."
Ramaswamy spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told the Register on Thursday morning that the candidate was running as a Republican, not a Libertarian, and that the campaign was focused on bringing libertarians to support Ramaswamy in the Republican caucuses.
At a campaign event focused on eminent domain last week, Ramaswamy spoke briefly with Ryan Kurt, chair of the Polk County Libertarian Party. Kurt said that when he told Ramaswamy his role, the Republican candidate "mentioned that he might be interested in pursuing the Libertarian ticket."
"I told him if you're going to do that, you might want to start talking to some libertarians," Kurt said.
Days later, Kurt said he received a call from Ramaswamy's campaign asking if it could send representatives to the Polk County chapter's monthly meeting Wednesday. During that meeting, Ramaswamy's representatives discussed "logistics of a possible LP run and some of the nuances of Iowa politics," including the ability to be nominated for multiple party caucuses, Kurt said.
Vivek Ramaswamy, Libertarian candidate? In Iowa, his campaign flirts with a third-party run
Vivek Ramaswamy said he wouldn't run as a libertarian if he loses the Republican nomination but added, "I can't stop them from nominating me."
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