NewsNation to host town hall with Ramaswamy

Cable news network NewsNation announced Tuesday that it will host GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy for a live town hall later this month.

Ramaswamy will participate in the NewsNation town hall Aug. 14, moderated by the network’s chief Washington anchor, Leland Vittert. NewsNation noted this is the first news network-hosted town hall that Ramaswamy is participating in as a candidate.

NewsNation hosted a live town hall with Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in June, moderated by anchor Elizabeth Vargas. 

Ramaswamy has emerged as a surprise breakout star within the GOP primary, with national polls showing the 37-year-old biotech entrepreneur with some momentum. 

A Morning Consult poll released Tuesday found Ramaswamy in third place among the Republican primary field at 9 percent support, with former President Trump placing first at 58 percent and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis second at 15 percent. 

Former Vice President Mike Pence received 7 percent, while all other candidates stood at less than 5 percent.

Republicans credit Ramaswamy’s bump in the polls to being an effective communicator and his energetic personality. He has also generally avoided criticizing Trump, though he has offered some contrasts from time to time as he and others seek to court Trump- and Trump-aligned voters in the GOP primary.

Still, Ramaswamy and the rest of the field are widely trailing Trump, who appears to be in a stronger position than when he first launched his campaign late last year. 

NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.