Vivek Ramaswamy’s face displayed disbelief as the Republican presidential candidates engaged in their first debate. Former Vice President Mike Pence took issue with Ramaswamy’s claim that America was facing a national identity crisis. Retorting in his rapid-fire debating style, Ramaswamy argued that America was currently in an internal cultural civil war.
Traditionally, praising Ronald Reagan was a safe move for ambitious Republicans. However, Ramaswamy, a young businessman with no public service record, stood on the debate stage and used Reagan’s famous “morning in America” theme to mock Pence—a staunch conservative and a product of the Reagan revolution—as out of touch with the current state of America.
This moment highlighted a major shift within the GOP, which gained momentum during the Trump era and is now being embraced by Ramaswamy. This shift represents the so-called new right, a younger and more online-oriented faction that rejects the optimistic outlook of Reagan’s followers, dismissing it as delusional. According to the new right, older establishment Republicans like Pence have no idea about the current state of the Republic.
The new right believes that conservatives like Pence are hopelessly naive and must abandon their emphasis on civility, decency, and limited government. Figures aligned with the new right, such as Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, argue that conservatives should instead use every available lever of governmental power to combat the “woke” left.
Donald J. Trump popularized this theme during his 2016 presidential campaign, using dark and vengeful rhetoric to describe America as a country in turmoil. The criminal indictments against Trump have only amplified this mood of retribution.
Taylor Budowich, CEO of a pro-Trump super PAC, referred to the Pence-Ramaswamy exchange as emblematic of a larger battle within the GOP. Budowich argues that the existential crisis facing the GOP is its failure to understand the current moment.
Saurabh Sharma, founder of American Moment, an organization dedicated to staffing the next Republican administration with “America First” conservatives, sees the interaction between Pence and Ramaswamy as a reflection of a core divide in the conservative movement. Sharma believes that generational change will lead to quieter reformers giving way to energetic young revolutionaries.
During the debate, Pence and Ramaswamy clashed repeatedly, emphasizing their generational and ideological differences. They appeared to be speaking in different languages and addressing different issues.
Pence highlighted the value of experience and warned against electing a “rookie” to the White House. He emphasized the need for American leadership in the world, framed Ukraine’s fight against Russia as a fight for freedom, and touched on the national debt issue. However, these traditional Republican stances have become taboo since Trump abandoned fiscal conservatism.
Ramaswamy criticized Pence’s incrementalism and governing record, vowing instead to bring about a revolution. He made outlandish promises such as shutting down government agencies and used personal insults against his opponents. Ramaswamy also ridiculed the idea of supporting Ukraine, a move that enraged several opponents but resonated with the increasingly emboldened anti-interventionist wing of the party.
The fight over foreign policy exposes the most radical difference between the Pence-led GOP and the Trump-era GOP. Ramaswamy’s statement about ending U.S. funding for Ukraine highlights this difference, as Trump himself has questioned support for the country and hinted at giving parts of it to Russia.
While Pence recoiled from Ramaswamy’s statement, leaders of the anti-interventionist faction within the party celebrated. The divide in the GOP on foreign policy is not between isolationists and interventionists, but between those who question traditional approaches and those who embrace a more unconventional stance on global affairs.
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