Vivek Ramaswamy’s Times Square Billboard Slams Mamdani, Urges New Yorkers to ‘Flee to Ohio’

NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT

New York, NY, July 13, 2025: A new digital billboard in Times Square is grabbing national attention with a pointed political message: “Tired of Mamdani’s socialist tyranny? Flee to Ohio — where freedom lives. We’re waiting for you!”

The ad, which began airing Monday in the iconic tourist hotspot, was paid for by “Vivek Super PAC — Victors, not Victims,” a political action committee backing entrepreneur-turned-politician Vivek Ramaswamy, who is now running for governor of Ohio.

Positioning Ramaswamy as the conservative alternative to Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old Democratic Socialist who recently won the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, the $50,000 billboard directly calls on New Yorkers disillusioned with progressive leadership to make Ohio their new home.

Both Ramaswamy, 39, and Mamdani are Indian American and rising stars in their respective parties. The billboard plays into that contrast, with Ramaswamy offering a vision of “economic freedom, zero capital gains tax, and no state income tax,” while painting Mamdani as the face of radical leftist governance.

Ramaswamy, who rose to prominence during his 2024 presidential run, has made no secret of his plan to make Ohio a national model for conservative governance. His campaign has focused on business-friendly policies, school choice, and limited government.

The billboard’s message quickly spread online after GOP strategist Andrew Surabian posted a photo of the ad on X (formerly Twitter). Ramaswamy reposted Surabian’s message along with another post by the Ohio Republican Party, which read:
“Tired of the chaos? Tired of radical leadership? There’s a better way. Vivek Ramaswamy is building a conservative movement rooted in freedom — right here in Ohio.”

The high-profile placement and social media push mark an unusual move in modern politics: a gubernatorial candidate using out-of-state advertising not to win votes, but to win over like-minded residents from across the ideological divide.

So far, Mamdani’s team has not responded to the ad. But political observers note that the billboard’s timing—just weeks after Mamdani’s primary victory—appears designed to frame him as a national symbol of progressive overreach.