New York: Billionaire Elon Musk praised Vivek Ramaswamy yet again, calling him “increasingly compelling”, as the Indian-American entrepreneur faced his first political debate in Wisconsin to select GOP’s 2024 presidential nominee. “Vivek is increasingly compelling,” Musk said in August in response to a post and video shared by journalist and tech entrepreneur Brian Krassenstein on X.

The tech billionaire’s praise comes just a week after he called the 38-year-old a “very promising candidate”, referring to Ramaswamy’s interview with talk show host Tucker Carlson. Sharing a video of presidential candidate Chris Christie from the GOP debate, Krassenstein said that the former New Jersey Governor won the debate in his opinion as “he’s not a coward like many on the stage,” Krassenstein said, referring to rival contenders, including Ramaswamy.

In response to Musk, Krassenstein wrote: “The field ganged up on Vivek tonight. I don’t think he did bad. I think that his climate change line will hurt him. Even republicans realize that climate change is real even if they don’t think it’s as urgent an issue as some on the left.” At the debate, Ramaswamy called climate change a hoax and slammed what he called Washington’s anti-carbon agenda.

Christie tore into Ramaswamy during the debate, calling Ramaswamy an “amateur” Obama, and sounding like a ChatGPT. “I have had enough already tonight of a guy who sounds like ChatGPT standing up here,” Christie told Fox News moderator Bret Baier.

“And the last person in one of these debates ... who stood in the middle of the stage and said, ‘What’s a skinny guy with an odd last name doing up here,’ was (Democrat) Barack Obama. And I’m afraid we’re dealing with the same type of amateur standing on the stage tonight,” Christie said.

In response to Christie, Ramaswamy said: “Give me a hug just like you did to Obama, and you’ll help elect me just like you did to Obama”. Ramaswamy, who is the youngest presidential candidate, entered the now crowded Republican presidential nomination contest as an outsider in February.

He believes it’s time for an “outsider” in the White House in 2024, and almost tying up with rival Ron DeSantis at number two in polls, beating fellow Indian-American Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence. The political first-timer has stated that he would turn down an offer of the vice presidency if he doesn’t win the presidential nomination for 2024.