Ramaswamy Roasted After Pulling TV Ads, Calling Them ‘Trick’ for ‘Low IQ’ Candidates – Despite Previous 8-Figure Ad Buy

The campaign for Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy is ceasing spending on TV ads ahead of the first votes being cast in the primary race.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the entrepreneur insisted, "Presidential TV ad spending is idiotic, low-ROI [and] a trick that political consultants use to bamboozle candidates who suffer from low IQ."

"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 insisted.

https://twitter.com/VivekGRamaswamy/status/1739803029216375148

Despite Ramaswamy's claim TV ads are just a "trick" for "low-IQ" candidates, his campaign announced an eight-figure ad buy in Iowa and New Hampshire in November.

At the time, Tricia Mclaughlin, his campaign's spokesperson, told The New York Post , "Vivek is making an eight-figure buy across Iowa and New Hampshire. Vivek’s not an idiot. Anytime earlier would have been stupid. And this is just the beginning."

"They will start advertising on Saturday — this will include broadcast, cable, radio, digital and direct mail. If people thought he was aggressive with events leading up to this, stay tuned for post-Nov. 8," she added.

Commentator Josh Barro asked, "So when you were spending $200k a week on TV ads earlier this month, did you have a low IQ?"

https://twitter.com/jbarro/status/1739830131781505199

"It is very funny watching a candidate not trying to win, cry about candidates trying to win," wrote conservative podcast co-host Michael Duncan.

https://twitter.com/MichaelDuncan/status/1739863169160335863

The Daily Beast's Justin Baragona chimed in, "So I guess you were low IQ last month when you were boasting about 8-figure TV ad buys?"

https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1739864201441517951

"So Vivek’s $10m+ he spent on TV was idiotic? He fell for the 'trick?' Just the kind of fiscal hawk we need as president," another user wrote.

https://twitter.com/jacobphawkins/status/1739834128415989855

The decision to cancel TV ad spending comes just weeks before the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses .

RealClearPolitics' average of polls shows Ramaswamy sitting in fourth place in Iowa with 5.9% support.