No more "owning the libs": Ramaswamy pushes sharp break for GOP

Zoom out: Ramaswamy will be the featured speaker at a Montana State University event being held by Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk co-founded.

• According to his prepared remarks, Ramaswamy will say the conservative moment is at a "fork in the road" and urge them to abandon its fixation on "owning the libs" in favor of a less overtly confrontational posture.
• "We can still stand for truth, while viewing those who believe in falsehoods not as our enemies who must be vanquished, but instead as our fellow citizens who have lost their way and must be shown the light," Ramaswamy will say.
• "Not to berate them, embarrass them, and banish them -- but to pray for them, to talk to them, and to persuade them," he will add.

Zoom in: Ramaswamy became a prominent Trump supporter after waging an unsuccessful 2024 GOP primary campaign.

• "So what does it mean to be an American in the year 2025?" Ramaswamy will ask. "It means we believe in free speech and open debate without censorship, whether you're Nick Fuentes or Alex Jones or Jimmy Kimmel."

The big picture: Ramaswamy joins several other prominent Republicans, including Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas) and Rand Paul (Ky.), in criticizing FCC chair Brendan Carr.

• Carr threatened to take regulatory action against ABC over comments late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel made about Kirk's alleged shooter that infuriated conservatives.
• ABC briefly suspended Kimmel.

Ramaswamy, who was close to Kirk, has received Trump's endorsement in the Ohio governor's race and is the strong favorite to win the primary.