By Alexandra Ulmer
LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – Vivek Ramaswamy, a longshot U.S. Republican presidential candidate, confirmed to Reuters on Saturday that Tesla Inc Chief Executive, , attended a fundraiser for him in Northern California.
Ramaswamy revealed, in an interview at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s (RJC) weekend donor gathering in Las Vegas, that he had a conversation with Musk, although it took place late at night.
Earlier this month, digital media group, Puck, reported that Musk had recently attended a fundraiser in Silicon Valley hosted by prolific SPAC investor Chamath Palihapitiya.
When asked about the possibility of Musk making a donation to his campaign, Ramaswamy stated that their discussions have focused on the “cultural direction for the country.”
Ramaswamy emphasized that he and Musk share a unique perspective as “free speech absolutists” and stand out from others in both parties.
Reuters was unable to immediately reach Musk for comment. Additionally, an email sent to an address associated with Palihapitiya went unanswered.
It appears that Florida governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis is also seeking support from Musk, who Forbes identifies as the world’s richest individual with an estimated wealth of $222 billion. In June 2022, Musk stated that he may support DeSantis for the 2024 presidency, and DeSantis launched his presidential bid on Musk’s social media platform X (previously known as Twitter).
Since then, Ramaswamy has organized his own X Spaces events with Musk and expressed the hope of hosting more in the future.
(Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by David Gregorio)
