Chicago City Wire

GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy won the second debate according to a straw poll conducted by the Chicago Republican Party at its watch party.

During the debate watch party at the Billy Goat Inn on Madison Street, attendees were asked to choose the candidate they believed made the strongest case for the GOP presidential nominee.

“It was another great turnout and an even more boisterous Republican crowd,” Chicago Republican Party Chairman Steve Boulton said in a press release.

“We will continue to host events around the city for the Republican Presidential debates yet to come. The Chicago GOP is looking forward to the 2024 election cycle, as we really sense a change in the sentiment of Chicago’s voters. Chicagoans are suffering and are fed up.”

Ramaswamy received 44.0% support, down from 57.5% in the August debate.

Ron DeSantis secured 19.5% of the vote, a decrease from 22.5% in August. Mike Pence received 5% support, down from 10% in August.

Tim Scott did not garner any support, compared to 2.5% in August. Nikki Haley received 17% support, a substantial increase from 2.5% in August.

Doug Burgum secured 14.5% of the vote, a notable rise from 2.5% in August. Chris Christie did not receive any support, the same as the 2.5% he received in August.

The Chicago GOP plans to continue hosting events for future Republican presidential debates, with the next watch party and straw poll scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 8.

Ramaswamy is an entrepreneur with a background in hedge fund investment and biotech.

With a net worth just under $1 billion, he’s one of the wealthiest Republican nominees, and his business ventures include Roivant Sciences, Strive, and the publication of a New York Times Bestselling book, “Woke Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam” according to Entrepreneur.

His entry into the race has garnered attention, with his poll numbers showing a surge in popularity.

Notably absent from the debate was former President Donald Trump, by far the frontrunner in the race.

The Washington Post and ABC News conducted a poll indicating that Trump is leading President Joe Biden with 51 percent to 42 percent support, but both organizations acknowledge this might be an “outlier” as other polls have shown the candidates in a close race, The Hill reported.

DeSantis notably took a tour of Illinois early in his campaign.

During his speech at a Republican event in Lake County earlier this year, DeSantis criticized “woke” policies, announced plans to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion language in Florida’s public institutions, and received strong support from the audience, according to Politico.

He also targeted Gov. JB Pritzker, and President Joe Biden, and drew criticism from Illinois Democrats, while many Illinois Republicans expressed a desire for conservative leadership, making this event a significant gathering for DeSantis as he explores a potential presidential run.