Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy spoke to Fox News Digital from AmericaFest 2025 in Phoenix, addressing why conservatives can’t take red state races for granted and the future of the conservative movement. (Credit: Fox News Digital)
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!PHOENIX – Ohio gubernatorial candidate and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy warned conservatives not to take any political races for granted, including his own, and commented on what AmericaFest means for the future of the right as it draws in thousands of voters and activists, including youth.
Ramaswamy spoke to Fox News Digital shortly after arriving at the Phoenix Convention Center Friday and said he had already met several people there who told him they were energized to join him at the conference.
"Funny enough — and I often like to do this when I travel west — I went for a hike earlier today to what's called Camelback Mountain, and we saw tons of young people who are going to be here tonight that were getting their outdoor time, so I got to talk to a lot of them," he said.
"I would say the mood is a combination of enthusiastic and determined, but with a sober sentimentality as well. It's clear that a lot of these young people were, I mean, just like me and the rest of us, affected by Charlie's death. And they're hungry for direction."
CONSERVATIVES NEED TO EMBRACE ‘FUSION’ OF POPULISM, TOP LEADER SAYS, CALLING AMFEST SCENES ARE ‘ENCOURAGING’
Vivek Ramaswamy speaks at a campaign rally. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Many of the young conservatives he met appeared to want to find the direction the conservative movement and TPUSA would go after Kirk’s death.
In Ohio, where he is seeking to succeed term-limited moderate Republican Mike DeWine, Ramaswamy stressed that even though Ohio has been reliably red, he isn't taking the race for granted.
Republicans are reeling from a string of losses from Florida to Pennsylvania just weeks ago.
VIVEK RAMASWAMY CRITICIZES POCKETS OF 'ONLINE RIGHT' FIXATED ON HERITAGE IN TURNING POINT ADDRESS