So, in the spirit of helping a fellow techie beat Trump in the primary, here are some tips, Vivek, to help you maximize your chances of winning the Republican nomination and taking on Joe Biden next fall.

1. Keep saying yes.

You make your mark by answering yes to every media request and every group that wants to hear from you, from small podcasts to local New Hampshire political groups to overnight cable news outlets. This is very different from what other candidates will do with their cautious and deliberate press strategies. You are 37 years old. You can outplay other candidates. Keep Doing It This is how my campaign got its momentum for the first time, and it will pay off for you too.

2. Stay positive.

At the start of my campaign, someone said to me, “People can tell if you’re having a good time.” And if you’re having a good time, it extends to those around you. Many other Republican candidates seem unhappy. Their messages are full of anger, resentment and despair. You can express emotion and urgency without being embarrassed to listen or be around. You can outperform other candidates, and that will attract voters who are tired of politicians’ heated speeches.

3. Work with the judges.

In the Republican field, it’s not that important, but there’s a whole galaxy of people who determine what kind of coverage you get and what they say about you. I’m talking about bloggers, beltway journalists, talking heads, first-state party leaders, and a handful of local reporters left in the thick of things. One of the disadvantages of being a beginner is that you don’t have many relationships with these people. They are difficult to move into your column after one meeting. But you can make them neutral. You can continue to register. And if you are still working in January when others leave, it will pay off.

4. Be prepared to debate.

Okay, here’s what I would like to do differently. My team made me appear in the media all the way up to the day of the debate and into the day itself. It was a mistake. Debate is a completely different animal and an opportunity to reach out to people who have never seen you before. You should treat them accordingly and take a break before the first debate in August; prepare, train, practice and develop a different way of expressing yourself. It’s not really a debate – it’s a distributed competitive media performance against a group of people who have been doing this for years and decades with moderators who will push you back. If you enter without the right approach, it will show. Regardless of who else is on the stage, you must leave the audience with a lasting impression or a positive impression with the limitations you will have.

5. Dive into the memes.

Trump dominates memes. Many people see them. You are friends with the Internet, but most of the social networks you post are cool videos or excerpts from media speeches. Power up the homegrown efforts of your #Ramaswamaniacs. If you show them love, they will redouble their efforts and others will join them. I saw this first hand when #YangGang became the driving force behind my campaign. Someone once said, “He who wins on the Internet wins everything.” The internet belongs to Trump. If you change this, you will become a real threat.

6. Spend money early…and late.

Most of your competitors will follow the conventional wisdom that they should save their money until the end of the game when the voting starts. They will also be constantly chasing money to demonstrate viability and have credible quarterly reports. You are the most serious self-financed person, except for Trump, who is notoriously reluctant to spend his own money. With a net worth of $600 million, use it to buy ads in advance, recruit staff, gather more people, donate to local candidates and nonprofits, and make friends. Everyone likes rich guys who are actually generous.

7. Emphasize the possibility of being elected.

When I ran for president, I won the Iowa Youth Straw Poll and was named “The candidate I’d most like to have a beer with.” So why didn’t I break through? Everyone likes to win. The threshold question for the Democrats was: “Who can beat Trump?” They chose Biden. This time for the Republicans, it’s the question “Who can beat Biden?” Don’t make the same mistake I did: really prove that you can clean Biden’s watch and bring about politics and regime change without Trump’s baggage or drama. Why choose a coin toss when you can choose the right one?

8. Tell us more about AI… and UBI.

Wherever you go, you will find people who care about AI. They see the world changing under their feet. You understand technology and innovation better than anyone else – just like me in 2020. Tell them that you will ensure that they are included in the 21st century economy if you become president. Forty-two percent of the people who supported me were not Democrats, in part because they liked hearing about policies like the Universal Basic Income that would really make a difference in their lives. Nearly two-thirds of Americans now want AML, and a ton of those people are Republican voters in the primaries. You can expand your coalition if you include this policy in your platform.

9. Stay human.

I got a lot of support among the independents, because they are tired of artificial, machine politicians. Many just wanted someone from outside the establishment. You can be an individualist who owes nothing to anyone but the truth and who speaks like a real person. Does this remind you of anyone? It was Trump’s call. It could be yours too. Just remember, the better you do, the more consultants around you will try to polish your attractiveness. Don’t let them. The thing is, the mercenaries that fill your campaign are more likely to lose professionally than maximize your chances of winning. play to win And make sure you have people around you who say, “Let Vivek be Vivek.”

Running for president is an incredible journey. You have a real opportunity to benefit the millions of Americans who want something different in their leaders. If you follow these points, you will maximize your chances of representing the Republican Party in the 2024 election. It will be an uphill climb. But hey, at worst, after the campaign, you can join me in the Forward Party.

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky. — Daniel Cameron won the Republican primary for governor of Kentucky on Tuesday, becoming the first major-party black gubernatorial candidate in state history and staging a November standoff with Democratic incumbent Andy Beshear.

Cameron, the state’s attorney general, who was backed by former President Donald Trump, claimed a landslide victory over 12 candidates that included Kelly Craft, who served as UN ambassador to the Trump administration, and state agriculture commissioner Ryan Quarles. Beshear easily cracked down on two obscure Democratic candidates in his primaries.

Cameron, the state’s first black attorney general, would become the state’s first black governor if elected. In his victory speech Tuesday, he played up the historic nature of his appointment, saying his campaign is about “realizing America’s promise that if you work hard and if you stand on principle, anything is possible.”

“To anyone like me, know that you can achieve anything,” Cameron told his supporters. “Know that in this country and in Kentucky, all that matters is your values.”

Now the race is moving on to the general election, which will be one of the most closely watched contests in November and could provide clues ahead of next year’s presidential race. Beshear, a popular Democratic governor, faces a tough re-election in a Republican-dominated state after a first term marked by a series of tragedies — the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters and a mass shooting that killed one of his closest friends.

On Tuesday, Beshear touted his leadership of the Kentucky economy, pointing to record economic growth as he set the stage for his fall reelection campaign. And he blew the tone of the GOP gubernatorial primary after months of attacks from Republican candidates.

“Right now, somewhere in America, there is a CEO deciding where to move their business, and they are considering Kentucky,” Beshear told the assembled supporters. “Let me ask you: will having people berate our state and our economy, insult our people, and stir up division help the next company choose Kentucky? Of course not.”

The fall matchup between Beshear and Cameron conjures up parallels to the state’s last governor’s election race, but with the governor’s roles changing. In 2019, Beshear used the attorney general’s office as a springboard for the governorship. During his only term as Attorney General, Beshear challenged a number of executive actions by then Republican Governor Matt Bevin. Beshear narrowly defeated Bevin in a race that revolved around Bevin’s combative nature.

Turnout was low in many places as it rained for part of the day across much of the state, the secretary said. A storm warning was issued in some areas, but there were no reports of disruption of the vote. Electoral officials hoped for an increase in turnout after the storms subsided.

Cameron succeeded Beshear as Attorney General, and the Republican outmaneuvered Beshear, bringing numerous lawsuits against state and national Democratic policies that endeared him to the conservatives. Cameron has spearheaded a successful task that has essentially stopped the COVID-era governor’s restrictions, which Cameron says amount to an abuse of executive power. Beshear says his actions saved lives and that he relied heavily on guidance from Trump’s coronavirus task force.

A former aide to Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, Cameron rose through the ranks to become one of the most prominent black Republicans in the country. His victory on Tuesday will further Trump’s efforts to solidify his status as leader of the Republican Party ahead of the 2024 presidential primaries.

If Beshear follows his 2019 campaign formula, he will avoid talking about Trump or dwelling on polarized national issues that could further energize his opponent’s conservative base.

He is also expected to build on his family’s strong political brand — his father, Steve Beshear, a two-term former Kentucky governor who spoke Tuesday at his son’s first victory celebration — and build on his role as a leader in the aftermath of adversity. many failures. crises during his first term.

Despite it all, Beshear took the lead, holding daily briefings on the pandemic for several months and then leading relief efforts for those left devastated by tornadoes and floods.

Last month, Beshear publicly and emotionally mourned the loss of a close friend who died when a Louisville bank employee opened fire with an assault rifle, killing five colleagues. He often cited his Christian faith as the cornerstone of his efforts to lead the state in difficult times.

In addition to Kraft and Quarles, Cameron also defeated State Auditor Mike Harmon and Somerset Mayor Alan Keck, among others.

But it was the combat rivalry between Cameron and Kraft that dominated the main campaign. Cameron weathered the Craft ad campaign backed by her family’s wealth and an outside group backing her campaign. The professional group portrayed Cameron as “the teddy bear of the establishment”, arguing that he was not strong enough as Attorney General. A group of Cameron supporters responded by attacking Kraft, who received last-minute approval from Florida’s governor. Ron DeSantis.

Cameron’s actions in investigating the fatal murder of Breonna Taylor by Louisville police in 2020 may be subject to new scrutiny as he campaigns as the GOP candidate. Taylor’s death and the police-related killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked nationwide protests.

In announcing the grand jury’s findings in Taylor’s death, Cameron said the jury “agreed” that the murder charges were not justified against the officers because they were shot at. Three jurors disputed Cameron’s account, arguing that Cameron’s staff limited their options and prevented them from hearing murder charges against the police in connection with Taylor’s death.

Cameron’s immediate attention will be on building party unity for the fall campaign, a task for which he has shown skill in the past. He bridged the gap between Trump and McConnell despite a growing rift between the two GOP heavyweights. Cameron served as the senator’s legal adviser and was vocal about Trump’s failed re-election campaign at the 2020 Republican National Convention.

The gubernatorial campaign spearheaded primary races for other constitutional offices in Kentucky.

Republican Secretary of State Michael Adams, who has been successful in pushing for more voter access, won the primary against two candidates, including one who questioned the integrity of the election. In November, he will face Democrat Charles “Buddy” Wheatley in his re-election bid.