SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – While Vivek Ramaswamy isn’t on the ballot this November, it seemed like he was running for something Thursday during his visit to Springfield, the industrial Ohio city thrust in the center of the nation’s immigration debate and presidential race.
A long line stretched the length of a city block downtown to attend the town hall hosted by the Cincinnati-area native, biotech billionaire and former Republican presidential candidate.
More than 2,000 people had tried to get into Springfield’s Bushnell Event Center, according to Ramaswamy. Only 250 people were allowed in the small, first-floor room, prompting Ramaswamy to tell the crowd he regretted not booking a larger room. Police had a heavy presence outside the town hall and shut down the block to traffic.
Ramaswamy’s visit came at a tense time for Springfield. Since President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, have spread debunked rumors about Haitians eating pets, bomb threats have closed buildings around town, including Springfield City Hall and multiple elementary schools.
City officials have said there’s no evidence of any Haitians eating people’s pets.
The town hall came together last minute, Ramaswamy said. He had the idea this past Saturday while having dinner with his wife and some friends. Ramaswamy lives Columbus’ Upper Arlington suburb.
“We were talking about what was happening in Springfield,” Ramaswamy said. “It felt silly for me not to be here … Thursday was the first day I could be here.”
Ramaswamy sidesteps questions on cats and dogs
One thing they wouldn’t talk about at the town hall is cats and dogs, Ramaswamy told the media an hour prior to the event. He sidestepped several questions from reporters about whether he believed the debunked accusations of immigrants eating cats and dogs.
“I’m not here to talk about the issues the media has really loved to obsess over,” Ramaswamy said. “Cats and dogs, we’re not talking about it. We’re talking about human beings who have been affected in this community.”
While one or two of the residents at the town brought up the pet rumors, most of the residents instead focused on other concerns with Springfield’s growing Haitian population. They blamed the immigrants for an overburdened health care system and a rise in crime. One woman claimed an immigrant chased her daughter in a Walmart parking lot and a man with a machete followed her daughter to work.
Springfield officials, according to the city’s frequently asked questions page, have not expressed concerns about Haitians causing violent crime.
“Haitians are more likely to be the victims of crime than they are to be the perpetrators in our community,” according to the city’s FAQ.
Several blamed the Haitians for traffic problems calling them bad drivers. Tensions have heightened since last year when Hermanio Joseph, a Haitian immigrant, crashed a minivan into a Northwestern Local Schools bus carrying 52 students headed to their first day of elementary school. Aiden Clark, 11, died after he was ejected from the bus, while more than 20 other students were injured.
Many turned their ire on the local mayor and city commission, whom they felt didn’t listen. Multiple speakers bristled at being labeled as racists. Springfield resident Diana Daniels told the crowd they just want to be heard.
“We are at the stage right now where we’ve been put down and called racist, not only in print but also to our face at city commission meetings,” Daniels, 68, said. “Now we’re at a level of desperation.”
Pro-Trump crowd turns out
Few, if any, Haitians were in the audience at the town hall, despite Ramaswamy saying he invited “diverse voices from the local community, including Haitian immigrants.”
Many in the crowd sported Trump hats and shirts. Some had hats with Ramaswamy’s name on it. They cheered when Ramaswamy talked of deporting immigrants. Several people shouted out for him to run for president or governor, which drew applause. He just smiled in return.
Since ending his presidential campaign in January after a fourth-place finish in the Iowa Caucuses, Ramaswamy hasn’t announced his future political plans. During the Republican National Convention, he said he’d “strongly consider” running for senator in Ohio if Vance should become vice president.
The crowd cheered when Trump’s name was mentioned and jeered when President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ name came up.
Ramaswamy said he met with leaders of Springfield’s Haitian community as well as Springfield Mayor Rob Rue and other city leaders at city hall earlier Thursday.
What’s happening in Springfield, Ohio?
Ahead of the town hall, Rue, a Republican like Ramaswamy, urged attendees to gather peacefully and be responsible about sharing information about Springfield.
“Words, particularly when based on false claims harm not only individuals but entire communities like Springfield,” Rue said.
Two days earlier, Rue held a press conference with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine talking about the threats the town has received since they became the center of the immigration debate.
“We did not have threats seven days ago,” Rue said Tuesday “We did not have these concerns seven days ago. We did not have these hundreds and hundreds of dollars spent in Springfield from the state of Ohio in support seven days ago. We do today.”
Rue said a potential visit from Trump or Harris would strain resources and that “it would be fine with me if they decide not to make that stop.” Trump has announced plans to visit Springfield soon. Ramaswamy said he should.
“To the extent my visit here and President Trump’s visit here … opens up this kind of dialogue that we’re not able to have in this country, yes, I do think that’s a good thing in moving us forward,” Ramaswamy said.
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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Here’s what happened at Vivek Ramaswamy’s town hall in Springfield.
