Washington - Hirsh Vardhan Singh, a 38-year-old Indian-American aerospace engineer, has recently announced his bid for the 2024 US presidential election, making him the third Indian-American seeking the Republican nomination. The other two contenders are former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
In a video message shared on Twitter, Singh portrayed himself as a lifelong Republican with a strong commitment to conservative values. He emphasized his role in revitalizing New Jersey's Republican Party's conservative wing since 2017. This marks the fourth time he is running for public office, having previously made an unsuccessful attempt at the US Senate in 2020.
Addressing current issues facing Americans, Singh voiced concerns about the influence of both big tech and big pharma, highlighting threats to American family values, parental rights, and open debate. He criticized the government's close collaboration with pharmaceutical companies to promote experimental vaccines, as well as the invasive privacy practices and political censorship by big tech corporations.
Praising former President Donald Trump, Singh acknowledged him as the "greatest president of my lifetime" but also expressed a desire for new leadership and fresh perspectives, stating, "America needs more." He positioned himself as a unique candidate, asserting that he never yielded to Covid vaccinations and proudly referred to himself as the "only pure blood candidate for the President."
Despite finishing third with a modest 9.8% of the vote share in the 2017 New Jersey gubernatorial race, Singh is determined to press forward with his political ambitions.
Singh's entry adds to the already crowded list of Republican contenders, which includes Donald Trump, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Senator Tim Scott, and businessman and pastor Ryan Binkley.
A recent Morning Consult poll indicated that 59% of voters support Trump, followed by DeSantis with 16%, Ramaswamy with 8%, Pence with 6%, and Scott with 2%.
Born to Indian immigrant parents, Singh holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in 2009. He received recognition as the Aviation Ambassador in 2003 from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.