Vivek Ramaswamy endorsed Sandy Pensler, a relatively unknown candidate, over former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers for Michigan’s federal Senate seat Thursday.
Ramaswamy, a former Republican presidential candidate, tweeted that he was impressed by Penslar’s background as a “self-made” businessman who “created jobs in Michigan” and for the policy insights that Penslar shared with him. “We had a deep conversation & debated some policy areas where we even disagree, which I respected, but he’s rock solid on the right principles. He signed my American Truth Pledge & I’m proud to endorse him,” Ramaswamy added in his tweet. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Kari Lake Lands Two Big America-First Endorsements From Sen Rand Paul And Rep Matt Gaetz)
I’ve never followed the pack & I’m not going to start now. When I was campaigning for President Trump last weekend in Michigan, I met someone who impressed me by surprise: @SandyPensler. He’s a businessman, not a politician, running for Senate in Michigan. He’s self-made, created… pic.twitter.com/9EUaCGrMBp
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) February 29, 2024
Ramaswamy attached a video of his endorsement to his tweet, where he admitted that his endorsement was “unconventional” and that Penslar was a candidate that “most people have not heard of yet.” Ramaswamy said that Penslar earned his support when he “scrutinized” the American Truth Pledge by having questions about each of the categories of the pledge. Ramaswamy recounted that he and Penslar had “an in-depth conversation about what were some of those nuances in the elements of that pledge” in a way that earned the endorsement.
Ramaswamy told Fox News Digital on Feb. 12 that the pledge consists of four broad affirmations that those who are elected ought to run the government, that American leadership’s top priority should be the well-being of the American citizens, that public service is rendered for the people and not for the enrichment of oneself, and that absence of national pride was “an existential threat to our nation’s future.” Ramaswamy also told the outlet that the pledge consists of more specific policy agendas like cutting the federal government’s workforce by 75%.
Sandy Penslar tweeted his acceptance of Ramaswamy’s endorsement and further stated that he looked “forward to working with” Donald Trump, Vivek and others in solving “the problems destroying our country.”
I am honored to be endorsed by @VivekGRamaswamy. Vivek is an important leader in the Republican Party and I look forward to working with @realDonaldTrump and leaders like Vivek to solve the problems destroying our country.https://t.co/p2HbEVszIn#sandypensler #misenate
— Sandy Pensler (@SandyPensler) February 29, 2024
Former GOP Rep. Justin Amash also announced his bid for the nomination Thursday. “Mitch McConnell’s handpicked candidate, Mike Rogers, has built his career on expanding the power of the state at the expense of individual liberty, and the establishment will stop at nothing to get him elected,” Amash tweeted in his announcement.