Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy claimed in a July 12 interview that he voted for the first time in 2020.

Verdict: False

Ramaswamy voted in 2004 for the Libertarian Party presidential nominee. He did not vote again until 2020, according to state records.

Fact Check:

During an interview with Scripps News on July 12, Ramaswamy said, “Yup,” when the journalist said Ramswamy had voted for the first time in 2020. He made the same claim in an earlier interview on The Breakfast Club, a popular radio program, saying, “I voted in 2020” when asked when he first voted.

This claim, however, is inaccurate. Ramaswamy voted in 2004 for Libertarian Party presidential nominee Michael Badnarik, according to state records obtained by the Washington Examiner. Ramaswamy also told the Washington Examiner that he voted in 2004.

Washington Examiner investigative reporter Gabe Kaminsky provided Check Your Fact with the voting records, which were obtained through a public records request. The records show that Ramaswamy voted in 2004 but did not vote afterward until 2020.

Gabe Kaminsky/Washington Examiner

“I’ll point you to the article and this tweet otherwise,” Kaminsky said in an email to Check Your Fact, which included a link to his tweet about the article.

Ramaswamy responded to the Washington Examiner article by calling it the “most false & intentionally deceitful headline of the campaign so far” on Twitter but also stated that he voted in 2004.

This is the most false & intentionally deceitful headline of the campaign so far. Now that certain other campaigns are struggling, they’re shopping oppo research as a substitute for a real message. Here’s the big “surprise”: I voted libertarian for President in 2004 when I was 19 https://t.co/qmbuUASQ1T

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) July 26, 2023

“This is the most false & intentionally deceitful headline of the campaign so far. Now that certain other campaigns are struggling, they’re shopping oppo research as a substitute for a real message. Here’s the big “surprise”: I voted libertarian for President in 2004 when I was 19,” Ramaswamy tweeted.

Check Your Fact reached out to the Ramaswamy campaign for comment and will update this article if a response is provided.