Entrepreneur-turned-politician Vivek Ramaswamy on Thursday spoke against early voting and advocated for single-day nationwide voting.
At an election rally in Arizona, also attended by former President Donald Trump, Ramaswamy suggested making Election Day a national holiday, using paper ballots, and requiring government-issued ID for voter identification.
“I’ll be honest with you.I don’t love early voting. I never have. I believe we need single-day voting on Election Day as a national holiday with paper ballots and government-issued ID to match the voter file. That’s what I believe. That’s what Donald Trump believes,” Ramaswamy said.
Despite his views, Ramaswamy urged Republicans to participate in early voting to secure a victory in the upcoming US election.
“Let me tell you something. You got to play by the rules we have in order to change the rules to what they should be. So I’m asking you, as Republicans, we may not like early voting. Get out there and do it anyway because we have an election to win and a country to save,” he said.
He compared the upcoming 2024 election to the American Revolution, underlining the sacrifices made by the founding fathers. “Our founding fathers, they made a sacrifice. There were 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence… They didn’t do it for them. They did it for us,” Ramaswamy mentioned.
He likened Donald Trump to George Washington and stressed the importance of the election. “2024 is our 1776, and I mean it when I say this. I think Donald Trump is the George Washington of our moment,” he said.
“They shot at George Washington when he crossed the Delaware. They missed when they tried for Donald Trump too. This time around, we’re not messing this up for our country. And I’m asking you, you guys do your part. Donald Trump’s going to do his,” he added.
Ramaswamy concluded by emphasising American exceptionalism and the need to revive the American dream, urging unity and resilience.
“We will make sure that our best days are still ahead of us, that we restore that American dream… That is what still gives hope to the free world,” he declared.