Fox 19: Political science expert talks Vivek Ramaswamy’s rise
Despite other efforts, the polls still have Trump carrying the GOP nomination, says UC’s David Niven
During the GOP debate on Aug. 23, Vivek Ramaswamy introduced himself to the nation as an unknown – “a skinny guy with a funny last name.”
Ramaswamy, a Cincinnati native, born in Evendale, is a grad of St. Xavier High School. He went on to acheive prestigious degrees and great success in the corporte sector; a success that has funded most of his cross-country campaign to secure the GOP nomination for president, wtih his visabilty gaining traction.
David Niven, PhD, associate professor of political science in UC's School of Public and International Affairs. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand
“He has catapulted himself into relevance into this race, but it’s yet to be seen if he can take that next step which is to make himself an actual contender for this,” UC’s David Niven told Fox 19 prior to the debate.
Niven, an associate professor of political science, told Fox 19 that Ramaswamy has a “revolutionary” approach to traditional voting rights and that it will be interesting to see how voters respond.
Niven said: “Vivek Ramaswamy has honed his speaking skills both in the corporate world and in numerous media appearances in recent years, so he knows how to sell a message and the opportunity for voters tonight is to weigh whether they like that message. Whether they like that vision.”
Listen to Niven’s pre-debate analysis.
Photo: iStock/adamkaz
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
Sugar overload killing hearts
November 10, 2025
Two in five people will be told they have diabetes during their lifetime. And people who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease. One of the deadliest dangers? Diabetic cardiomyopathy. But groundbreaking University of Cincinnati research hopes to stop and even reverse the damage before it’s too late.
Is going nuclear the solution to Ohio’s energy costs?
November 10, 2025
The Ohio Capital Journal recently reported that as energy prices continue to climb, economists are weighing the benefits of going nuclear to curb costs. The publication dove into a Scioto Analysis survey of 18 economists to weigh the pros and cons of nuclear energy. One economist featured was Iryna Topolyan, PhD, professor of economics at the Carl H. Lindner College of Business.
App turns smartwatch into detector of structural heart disease
November 10, 2025
An app that uses an AI model to read a single-lead ECG from a smartwatch can detect structural heart disease, researchers reported at the 2025 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association. Although the technology requires further validation, researchers said it could help improve the identification of patients with heart failure, valvular conditions and left ventricular hypertrophy before they become symptomatic, which could improve the prognosis for people with these conditions.