Vivek Ramaswamy crashed a MAGA party in the parking lot at Beaver Stadium before Penn State’s loss to Ohio State Saturday.
Ramaswamy was cheered when he arrived at a tailgate event hosted by Real America’s Voice.
Ramaswamy, an Ohio native, was greeted with trash talk by the local Penn State crowd but embraced any outcome of the game as “national unity.” Ramaswamy got the last laugh when Ohio State won 20-13.
More important to the MAGA crowd was the state of former President Trump’s re-election bid. Pennsylvania is a key swing state and arguably the most vital state on the electoral map this time around. Ramaswamy expressed optimism about Trump’s chances based on early voting numbers.
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“The early voting numbers are looking pretty good, but most of the people I’ve talked to haven’t voted yet, our way,” Ramaswamy said.
In 2020, Democrats led Republicans 70.9% to 20% in early voting in Pennsylvania. So far in the 2024 cycle, 56.9% of Democrats and 32.4% of Republicans have voted early.
President Biden won Pennsylvania in the 2020 election by just over 2%.
Ramaswamy expects a bigger surge of Republican voters on Election Day Tuesday.
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“Most people I know haven’t voted yet because they want to stick it out and really stick it to the system on Tuesday,” Ramaswamy said. “I feel pretty good. … I feel like we got this, actually.”
The crowd embraced Ramaswamy and erupted into Trump cheers.
Ramaswamy is the latest GOP figure to be embraced at a major college football game this season. Both Trump and running mate JD Vance were embraced when they attended games earlier this year.
Vance received rousing applause while watching the East Carolina Pirates take on Appalachian State Sept. 14. Trump led a “USA!” chant while attending the Alabama Crimson Tide’s game against rival Georgia Sept. 28.
Vivek Ramaswamy gestures from the stage at the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee July 16, 2024. (Reuters/Brian Snyder)
Pennsylvania is also a state under a heavy microscope for voter fraud in this cycle.
A Pennsylvania prosecutor is investigating roughly 30 voter registration applications and mail-in ballot applications identified as “fraudulent,” including several that officials linked to an Arizona-based group.
At least some of the forms were submitted by Field and Media Corps, an apparent subsidiary of Fieldcorp, an Arizona-based organization working in Lancaster County, according to Monroe County District Attorney Mike Mancuso.
The news comes after election officials in Lancaster County reported receiving two separate batches of voter registration forms earlier this month alleged to be fraudulent or incomplete.
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Former President Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, arrives for a campaign rally at the Salem Civic Center Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Salem, Va. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
The 2,500 forms marked as suspicious either had false names, duplicative handwriting or unverifiable or incorrect identifying information, officials said. The issues prompted county election officials to notify both the Pennsylvania Department of State and the state attorney general’s office to open a criminal investigation.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry sought to reassure voters in the Keystone State, noting in a press release late Thursday that her office has been working with counties on the apparent attempts to submit fraudulent ballots and investigate any organizations that may be responsible.
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Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin walks up the sideline during the second half of a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. Ohio State won 20-13. (Imagn)
“While we will not be divulging sensitive information about these investigations, we want to clarify that the investigations regard voter registration forms, not ballots,” Henry said. “These attempts have been thwarted by the safeguards in place in Pennsylvania. We are working every day with our partners to ensure a fair, free and safe election.
“The investigations are ongoing, and offenders who perpetrated acts of fraud will be held accountable under the law.”
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