Six months ago, Vivek Ramaswamy was a virtual unknown in New Hampshire politics, just a Fox News guest with a hard-to-pronounce name.
Two weeks after the first GOP presidential primary debate, the 38-year-old tech entrepreneur has 91 percent name ID among New Hampshire Republicans, 52 percent of whom view him favorably, according to a new poll released Tuesday.
The poll from the Competitiveness Coalition, in coordination with The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy, found just 26 percent have a negative view of the anti-“woke” entrepreneur.
Ramaswamy’s campaign also recently released its list of more than 200 endorsements from Granite State supporters, including 14 county chairs and 47 town chairs. It included two Republicans who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate last year, libertarian cryptocurrency marketer Bruce Fenton and former Londonderry Town Manager Kevin Smith. The latter has been named a state co-chair, along with Rep. Fred Doucette.
“Vivek has the only ‘real’ campaign operation in the FITN state,” Doucette told NHJournal. “He had an undeniably winning performance in the first Republican debate, rock-solid conservative ideas, and a positive plan and vision for our country going forward. He’s delivering his message face-to-face to Granite Staters, who can differentiate between parroted talking points and true responses to their tough, straightforward questions.”
While his campaign has created more buzz, Ramaswamy is still polling in single digits in the Granite State. He was at eight percent in the new Competitive Coalition/JBC poll, tied with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Trump is at 47 percent, while Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley are both at 10 percent.
No other candidate received more than five percent.
Over the Labor Day weekend, Ramaswamy made 10 campaign appearances across the state, and veteran GOP strategist Michael Dennehy said those numbers show the effort is paying off.
“Vivek is taking the Granite State more seriously than any other candidate running for president right now,” Dennehy said. “He is meeting with voters one on one, in town hall settings and on Main Streets. He is leaving no stone unturned, and his staff is working 24/7. He also has a youthful energy and an unmatched agenda in the field. That has spelled early success.
“Now he has to be prepared for incoming missiles as he climbs in the polls,” Dennehy added. “The big question is: Does Vivek have a missile defense system ready to go?”
Vivek Ramaswamy New Hampshire Endorsements
Statewide
Hon. Kevin Smith, Co-Chair
Bruce Fenton, Co-Chair
Belknap
County Chair
Hon. Dawn Johnson, Laconia
Town Chairs
Ben Kane, Alton
Rep. Barbara Comtois, Barnstead
Zachary Toce, Belmont
Hon. Richard Littlefield, Laconia
Community Endorsements
Greg Brooks, Alton
Ben Kane, Alton
Chloe Kane, Alton
Ruth Kane, Alton
Lacey Lounsbury, Alton
Jim Miller, Alton
Renee Miller, Alton
Mark Watson, Alton
Douglas Brown, Alton Bay
Mike Currier, Alton Bay
Zachary Toce, Belmont
Michelle Maffei, Alton Bay
Susan Sciotto-Brown, Alton Bay
Joanne Wilson, Alton Bay
Steven Earle, Gilford
David Horvath, Gilford
Becky Orton, Gilford
Jerome Brewer, Laconia
Cejai Weber, Meredith
Megon Weber, Meredith
Carroll
County Chair
Jim Stevens, Wolfeboro
Town Chairs
Rep. Richard Brown, Moultonborough
Michael Granger Sr., Wakefield
Jim Stevens, Wolfeboro
Steve Burrows, Tuftonboro
Community Endorsements
Marco Capaldi, Bartlett
John Stabile, Sandwich
David Plowman, Tamworth
Derek Rossetti, Tuftonboro
John Greer, Twin Mountain
Michael Granger Sr., Wakefield
Richard Hudson, Wolfeboro
Jeffrey Owings, Wolfeboro
Maria Owings, Wolfeboro
Jim Stevens, Wolfeboro
Cheshire
County Chairs
Richard Pratt, Winchester
Sara Pratt, Winchester
Town Chairs
John Flanagan, Alstead
Paul Hardy, Dublin
David Streeter, Keene
Glenn Parker, Marlborough
Kristen Reynolds, Swanzey
Community Endorsements
Sarah Johnson, Keene
Thomas Szot, Keene
Sharon Vernette, Swanzey
Richard Pratt, Winchester
Sara Pratt, Winchester
Coos
County Chair
Dhruv & Kryshana Nandamudi, Pittsburg
Community Endorsements
Carol Mockler, Colebrook
Brad Smith, Colebrook
Kelly Smith, Colebrook
Cel Mockler, North Stratford
Kryshana Nandamudi, Pittsburg
Walter Szuksto, Pittsburg
Cari Pinheiro, Stewartstown
Grafton
County Chair
Rep. David Rochefort, Grafton
Town Chairs
Amy Badurina, Bethlehem
Andrew Hemingway, Bristol
Community Endorsements
Amy Badurina, Bethlehem
Andrew Hemingway, Bristol
Borris Devitskiy, Lebanon
Nancy Brow, Oxford
Hillsborough
County Chairs
Jennifer Deml, Bedford
Town Chairs
Ric Biroscak, Amherst
Max Hove, Antrim
Shannon Hove, Antrim
John Schneller, Bedford
Britton Albiston, Bedford
Brian Mazur, Goffstown
Rep. Marc McLean, Manchester
Roland Savoie, Nashua
Community Endorsements
Kristi Barry, Amherst
John Graham, Amherst
Tedd Landon, Amherst
Britton Albiston, Bedford
Linda Buck, Bedford
Michael O’Donoghue, Bedford
Michelle Salvador, Bedford
Jacob Williams, Bedford
Jack Hopfenspirger, Francestown
Kirk Cresto, Goffstown
Joseph Flanders , Goffstown
Brian Mazur, Goffstown
Susan Hsueh, Hollis
Normand Landers, Hollis
Bala Vatti, Hudson
Nirmala Vatti, Hudson
Michael Arraamides, Manchester
Sean Cooper, Manchester
Yvonne Ducharme, Manchester
Kara Garauile, Manchester
Vincent Golden, Manchester
Alex Grandprey, Manchester
Richard Lack, Manchester
Mike Lindsay, Manchester
Shania Nabors, Manchester
Carl Ohlson Jr, Manchester
Deb Torres, Manchester
Tracey Toucher, Manchester
Margrette Walsh, Manchester
Mike Wargo, Manchester
Chad Whittaker, Manchester
David Williams, Manchester
Donny Zahzberg, Manchester
Byrla Besse, Merrimack
Barbara Michael, Merrimack
Glenn Michael, Merrimack
Roger Smith, Merrimack
Laurie Spurling, Merrimack
Sue Stewart, Merrimack
Angi Alcutt, Milford
Paul Boyer, Milford
Peter Carlston, Milford
Tyler Deihle, Milford
Jennifer Jennifer, Milford
Josiah Lasalle, Mont Vernon
Cathie Ackerman, Nashua
Matthew Geiltro, Nashua
Jerry Johnson, Nashua
Matthew Johnson, Nashua
Roland Savoie, Nashua
Brian Stinchfield, Nashua
Lois Voisine, Nashua
Thomas Waldo, Nashua
Daniel Ducharme, Pelham
Patrick Galbraith, Sharon
James Tamposi, Temple
Vic Voglino, Temple
Daren McGettigan, Wilton
Timothy Wilson, Wilton
Merrimack
County Chair
Jim Putnam, New London
Town Chairs
Seth Miller, Canterbury
Matt Center, Henniker
Jim Putnam, New London
Stephanie Parez, Webster
Community Endorsements
Joshua Crawford, Boscawen
Euan Nappen, Bow
Seth Miller, Canterbury
Janet Vincent, Canterbury
Rosemary Aures, Chichester
Reggie Barnum, Concord
Terry Barnum, Concord
Thom Bloomquist, Concord
Pamela Ean, Concord
Wendell Ford, Concord
Maggie McGee, Concord
Chris Miller, Concord
Ruth Reingold, Concord
Matt Center, Henniker
Debra Blake, Hooksett
Robert Crain, Hooksett
Mark Potin, Hooksett
Ken Elkind, New London
Suzanne Elkind, New London
Jim Putnam, New London
Nathan Walker, New London
Jeff Kirchhoff, Northfield
Erik Gage, Pembroke
Ron Bisson, Penacook
Christine Edney, Pittsfield
Ben Dalbec, South Sutton
Rockingham
County Chairs
Rep. David Love, Derry
Steve Goddu, Salem
Town Chairs
Caleb Lebbe, Brentwood
Rep. David Love, Derry
Gisela Lloyd, East Kingston
Katy Singlar, Exeter
Joseph Lazzaro, Hampton
Mark Theberge, Kingston
William Leibundgut, Portsmouth
Community Endorsements
Lori Besegai, Atkinson
Tim Muller, Atkinson
Gene Rizzo, Atkinson
Tim Storsberg, Atkinson
Caleb Lebbe, Brentwood
Kim Saxton, Brentwood
Prabhakar Singareddy, Brentwood
Sue Umbaugh, Candia
Justin Wilson, Candia
Barry Charewicz, Derry
Paul Croteau, Derry
Alex Samuel, Derry
Brad Smith, Derry
Gisela Lloyd, East Kingston
James Ouellet, Exeter
Katy Singlar, Exeter
Steve Singlar, Exeter
Joseph Lazzaro, Hampstead
Rich Sheehan, Hampstead
Michael Bostwick, Hampton
Routy Plant, Hampton
Elizabeth Blankenship, Hampton Falls
Chris Conti, Hampton Falls
David Conti, Hampton Falls
Eileen Guerin, Hampton Falls
Mark Theberge, Kingston
Jonathan Srydov, Londonderry
Steven Thayer, Londonderry
Steven Vargus, Londonderry
Jared Gorski, Newmarket
Don Roy, North Hampton
Erin Harkins, Nottingham
Hank Boucher, Portsmouth
Kelly Driscoll, Portsmouth
David Hindle, Portsmouth
Rick Horowitz, Portsmouth
William Leibundgut, Portsmouth
Harvey Schlesinger, Portsmouth
Jodie Consoles, Raymond
Sam Consoles, Raymond
Robert Cherypogue, Rye
Debrorah Hayes, Rye
Greg Pickering, Rye
Dan Shepard, Rye
Dorothy Clarke, Salem
Kevin Costa, Salem
Strafford
County Chairs
Michael Varney, Farmington
Town Chairs
Michael Varney, Farmington
Greg Anthes, New Durham
Jan Anthes, New Durham
Michael Matuson, Rochester
Community Endorsements
James Antonio, Barrington
Kyle Barnalsy, Barrington
Bob Wheeler, Barrington
Rick Brillard, Dover
Erin E. Herring, Dover
George Herring, Dover
Karl Klare, Dover
Bette Rochette, Dover
Robert O’Donnell, Durham
Katherine Ayers, Milton
Patricia Weldon, New Durham
