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Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, is endorsing former United Nations Ambassador Kelly Craft's campaign for governor of Kentucky, NBC News has learned.
Ramaswamy on Monday told NBC News that he's known Craft and her husband, coal executive Joe Craft, for a few years and has been "impressed." And he said that the GOP gubernatorial hopeful's message as an outsider calling for political change, criticizing the "woke" bureaucracy, embracing coal, and pushing for a revival in the state endeared her candidacy to him.
"It's the combination of those things that really led me over the edge here to say that this is somebody who I think will be an outstanding governor of a state and who is, sort of, a proven member of the America First movement and serving even at the Trump administration," Ramaswamy said.
"It's a spot-on alignment of the revival of national identity, including on the ground in places like Kentucky. And that's something that drew me in her direction," he said.
He went on to note state Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s endorsements from former President Donald Trump, and Cameron’s ties to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, to argue that the endorsement echoes a shared belief of “standing up to the establishment.”
And as Craft leans on her own personal wealth to fund her campaign, as Ramaswamy is doing, he said that he sees Craft’s bid as a call to service.
“They’ve lived their version of the American dream. And I can empathize with: They don’t have to be doing this. It strikes me as an honest public service component to their motivations here,” he said.
Craft thanked Ramaswamy for his endorsement in a statement to NBC News, focusing on his fight against "woke ideology."
“Our campaign has always been about building a movement. Having done over 100 Kitchen Table Tour stops across Kentucky, I’m constantly told by parents that their number one issue is education. And that they’re worried about their kid’s future," Craft said.
"It’s why I’m so happy to have Vivek’s endorsement because he’s been helping fight back at this woke ideology that the left is pushing through our school systems.”
Craft is among the candidates running in the crowded GOP primary field looking to win the right to take on Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. Craft and Cameron seen as the top contenders for the nomination
The former ambassador has repeatedly highlighted her work for Trump on the trail and in advertisements and sought to criticize Cameron as an insider as she tries to frame herself as an outsider, despite her service at the United Nations.
The race has been heating up as the primary draws nearer. Craft has spent more than $5 million on ads alone, much from her own pockets, and the two candidates have sparred on a variety of issues as they look to win over Republican voters in a red state in which Republicans are eager to take back the governorship.
Despite the tenor of the race, Ramaswamy emphasized to NBC News that he wasn't endorsing against Craft's top primary opponent, Cameron, who he thinks "highly" of and called "thoughtful."
"I'm not running or endorsing against anyone. I will say at every step of this — from what I know about Daniel Cameron, I think he's written some thoughtful attorney general opinions," he said.
"But I just think that Kelly is the right person for this job, and for me, it's the shared vision here that she and I have," Ramaswamy added.
Ramaswamy's team told NBC News that he'll be rallying for Craft on Monday, one day before the primary election. Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who has also endorsed Craft, will be rallying with her over the weekend.
