Have you ever thought about having a president be from your hometown? This year, for the first time since former Senate Majority Leader Robert Alphonso Taft Sr. ran for president in 1952, a man from Cincinnati is in the running: Republican Vivek Ramaswamy.
Although it’s named after one, Harrison has never had a president of its own, but Cincinnati has had its fair share. President Grant hailed from Point Pleasant; President Taft came directly from Cincinnati, and President William Henry Harrison, although he grew up in Virginia and earned his fame there, settled down in nearby North Bend, Ohio along with his grandson President Benjamin Harrison.
This year’s Cincinnati contender, Vivek Ramaswamy, is 38 years old, making him the youngest person currently running for President from either major party. Impressively, Ramaswamy earned both a bachelor’s degree in biology from Harvard College and a law degree from Yale School of Law. He is an entrepreneur who founded the biotechnology company, Roivant Sciences. In early 2023, Ramaswamy announced his bid for the presidential campaign as a Republican. According to polls conducted by The Economist, Ramaswamy is not seen favorably by the general public. However, a poll conducted by the Harvard University Center of Political Sciences says that Ramaswamy is generally liked by the public. Given that this is his first venture into the political world, it’s to be expected that he faces an uphill battle to gain traction in a crowded field of candidates. While polling results are not in Ramaswamy’s favor, only time will tell if that changes.
Cincinnatians should be excited not only to have a candidate from the Queen City, but to have a candidate from such a fascinating background representing our city on the national stage. As the youngest candidate from both major parties, Ramaswamy’s diverse background, educational achievements, and entrepreneurial endeavors position him as a noteworthy contender. Whether or not Cincinnati sees one of its own rise to the highest office, the presence of a hometown candidate like Ramaswamy brings to light the city’s enduring connection to the broader national narrative.
