Flee Mamdani's tyranny: Vivek Ramaswamy supporters begin billboard battle in NY

A digital billboard in Times Square, set to go live on Monday (US time), will be urging New Yorkers to leave the socialist "tyranny" of 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani and "move to Ohio". The ad is paid for by the "Vivek Super PAC — Victors, not Victims (VPAC)," a political group backing Republican Vivek Ramaswamy's gubernatorial bid in Ohio, according to a report in the New York Post.

The message reads: "Worried About Zohran? Ohio Is Waiting For You!"

The ad is a direct jab at Mamdani, a Democratic socialist who recently won New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, and contrasts him with Indian-American Ramaswamy.

Andy Surabian, Chief Strategist for VPAC, told the news outlet that concerned New Yorkers should move to a state on the verge of electing a bold conservative leader "focused on freedom and prosperity for all."

'PATH OF TOTALITARIANISM VS PATH OF AMERICAN FREEDOM'

Surabian also said that Ramaswamy would make Ohio a state of excellence. "While Mamdani will further crush New York City with his job-killing socialist tyranny, Vivek is ready to unleash freedom, supercharge the American dream, and make Ohio a state of excellence," the NYP quoted Surabian as saying.

"We put this billboard up because we couldn't think of two politicians in the country that represent such wildly different paths for the future of our nation. The Mamdani path of socialist totalitarianism versus the Vivek path of American freedom," he also said.

"For those New Yorkers who have had enough, freedom and prosperity are waiting for you in Ohio," he added.

The billboard is set to remain on display in Times Square all week, the NYP reported.

PAC RAISED $17 MILLION TO SUPPORT RAMASWAMY's RUN FOR GOVERNOR: REPORT

The super PAC (independent expenditure-only political action committee) backing Ramaswamy has secured $17 million in donations to boost his bid for Ohio governor in 2026, according to a report.

Ramaswamy, who quit the Elon Musk-led US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), launched his campaign for the 2026 Ohio governor's election in February.

The 39-year-old Harvard graduate also posted the ad on X, writing: "Capitalism defeats socialism. There's a better way: move to Ohio."

An Ohio native, Ramaswamy – a multi-millionaire former biotech executive – was born to Tamil-speaking parents who immigrated to the US from Kerala.

Ramaswamy ended his White House bid in January 2024 after finishing fourth in the Republican Party's first nominating contest in Iowa and endorsed Donald Trump for President.

He received endorsements from both Musk and Trump, who called him "something special", for his gubernatorial bid.

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