Ramaswamy shrugs off age question, says he would reject VP offer

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy said Saturday that he would reject an offer to become someone else’s vice president if he does not win the GOP nomination in 2024.

“I'm not interested in a different position in the government,” Ramaswamy said on Fox News. “Frankly, I'd drive change through the private sector sooner than becoming number two or three in the federal government.”

Later on Saturday, while speaking with Erick Erickson at an Atlanta-area conference, he also pushed back on a comment that he was too young to seek the presidency. Ramaswamy, who recently turned 38, is the youngest contender in the GOP primary field.

“My wife and I, we reflected on this: Should we wait 20 years, when our sons are out of the house, when we might have some more experience?” Ramaswamy said. “The truth is, I don't think we have 20 years left as a country if we just passively stand by and watch.”

Ramaswamy, who has risen in recent polling in the Republican presidential primary, was perhaps most well known in conservative circles for being a prominent critic of environmental, social and governance standards in business before announcing his run.

The candidate also noted that he does not believe anyone could be too old to be president — unless that person is Joe Biden.

“They’re plenty of older people who are sharper than many people my age and may still yet have their best days ahead of them,” Ramaswamy said.

“That’s not Joe Biden,” he quickly added after Erickson stepped in to ask.