Vivek Ramaswamy's popularity surges with impressive fundraising post-debate

Indian-American multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy's popularity rating and online fundraising have surged, a day after his impressive performance at the first Republican presidential primary debate.

According to the Ramaswamy campaign, the 38-year-old presidential aspirant raised more than $450,000, with an average donation of $38, in the first hour after the debate on Wednesday.

The entrepreneur-turned-politician was being hit hard by three of his top rivals former New Jersey Governor Chris Christies, former Vice President Mike Pence and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

The first poll that came out after the debate said that 28 per cent of the 504 respondents said that Ramaswamy performed the best. 

He was followed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis with 27 per cent, and Pence (13 per cent). Indian-American Haley received the vote of seven per cent.

According to Fox News, Ramaswamy was the most Google-searched GOP candidate for the first Republican presidential debate. He was followed by fellow Indian-American Haley.

Both the Indian-Americans were standing next to each other on the debate stage

A second-generation Indian-American, Ramaswamy founded Roivant Sciences in 2014 and led the largest biotech IPOs of 2015 and 2016, eventually culminating in successful clinical trials in multiple disease areas that led to FDA-approved products, according to his bio.

According to it, Ramaswamy was attacked 11 times by his rivals during the debate. According to Messenger a fast-growing online news portal the debate resulted in the rise of Ramaswamy's popularity.

Ramaswamy appeared confident after the debate and told reporters that soon only two candidates would be left in the race, him and former President Donald Trump. 

On the debate stage, he described Trump as one of the best presidents of the 21st century. 

Ramaswamy, the biotech investor is worth more than $ 950 million.

His net worth was over $ 1 billion about a week ago, making him one of the 20 youngest billionaires in the country, before a downturn in the market pulled him just under the billion-dollar threshold, according to Forbes.

Still, he appears to be the second-wealthiest person competing in the Republican presidential primary, behind only former US President Donald Trump (whose net worth Forbes last pegged at $2.5 billion).