Vivek Ramaswamy raises $450,000 fund in an hour after prez debate

Washington: Indian-American multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy's popularity rating and online fundraising have surged, a day after his impressive performance at the first Republican presidential primary debate.

According to the Ramaswamy campaign, the 38-year-old presidential aspirant raised more than USD 450,000, with an average donation of USD 38, in the first hour after the debate on Wednesday.

The entrepreneur-turned-politician was being hit hard by three of his top rivals – former New Jersey Governor Chris Christies, former Vice President Mike Pence and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

"In Trump's absence, Ramaswamy drives the GOP debate," popular Axis reported on Thursday.

The first poll that came out after the debate said that 28 per cent of the 504 respondents said that Ramaswamy performed the best. He was followed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis with 27 per cent, and Pence (13 per cent). Indian-American Haley received the vote of seven per cent.

According to Fox News, Ramaswamy was the most Google-searched GOP candidate for the first Republican presidential debate. He was followed by fellow Indian-American Haley. Both the Indian-Americans were standing next to each other on the debate stage.