Vivek Ramaswamy warns GOP could be in for 'rude surprise' unless they answer who they are

Republicans say they believe in God, family, and country – bringing self-governance and the revolutionary ideals of 1776 into 2024. But former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy shared a dirty little secret about those beliefs he says the mainstream media won't tell you.

"It's not just Republicans who share those ideals. Most Americans actually do," Ramaswamy said in his new roundtable Fox Nation series exploring the "truths" behind some of the biggest issues Americans face.

"I traveled this country as a presidential candidate last year and, if I learned one thing, it's that we're not really as divided as the media would have you believe. It turns out that 80% of us in this country share the same values in common. And here's the thing. They're afraid to talk about it in the open."

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The multi-part series "Truths with Vivek Ramaswamy," aired in condensed format on the Fox News Channel at 10 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, also debuting on the Fox Nation platform on the same date. 

There, the Trump ally and renowned entrepreneur posed a serious question about the anticipated red wave that turned to a mere ripple in 2022 — could Republican laziness be to blame?

He made an equally bold prediction for 2024: unless the GOP changes up its game, this election could have the same outcome.  

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"We railed against the Democrats, but without offering an alternative vision of our own," he said.

"I'm worried we're going to be in for a rude surprise this November unless we fix that starting right now..."

"We're not up against a candidate here. We're up against a machine. We're not going to win this by obsessing over the other side's shenanigans. We're going to win this by answering who we are and what we actually stand for."

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Ramaswamy also made an appearance on "Fox & Friends Weekend," Sunday, where he previewed the series and his new corresponding book, "Truths," in a discussion with co-host Pete Hegseth.

"The way we find our path to truth is through free speech and open debate, including with those who disagree with us," he said.

"So the point of the book is to arm people at home with arguments, to talk to their left-leaning friends, their left-leaning family members at the dinner table."

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4 Mark Robinson campaign staffers resign in wake of report on porn website posts

At least four top staffers in North Carolina Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson's campaign for governor have resigned in the wake of a report about posts he allegedly made on a porn website more than a decade ago. 

Just three days after CNN published a report that Robinson had allegedly previously made salacious comments, including referring to himself as a "black Nazi," on pornographic websites dating back to the late 2000s, his campaign released a statement on Sunday confirming that staff in various senior roles had stepped down. 

Conrad Pogorzelski III, who served as a general consultant and senior advisor; Chris Rodriguez, the campaign manager; Heather Whillier, the finance director; and Jason Rizk, who served as deputy campaign manager, have all resigned. The campaign promised new staffing announcements would be made soon. 

"I appreciate the efforts of these team members who have made the difficult choice to step away from the campaign, and I wish them well in their future endeavors. I look forward to announcing new staff roles in the coming days," Robinson said in a statement. "My campaign will continue to focus on the substantive issues at stake in this election: building an economy that grows from Murphy to Manteo; cutting taxes and eliminating unnecessary red-tape; removing politics out of our classrooms; and cracking down on violent crime and dangerous drugs." 

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Robinson still expressed optimism that he could win in November over Democratic gubernatorial nominee Josh Stein, the sitting state attorney general. 

"Polls have consistently underestimated Republican support in North Carolina for several cycles now and with a large portion of the electorate still undecided as we continue to ramp up our efforts across the state, I am confident our campaign remains in a strong position to make our case to the voters and win on November 5," Robinson said. 

According to his campaign website, Robinson is scheduled to appear for an event on Monday morning in Wilkesboro, North Carolina

The CNN report on Thursday unearthed past posts it said Robinson left on a porn site’s message boards in which he allegedly referred to himself as a "black NAZI;" said he enjoyed transgender pornography; said in 2012 he preferred Hitler to then-President Obama; and slammed the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as "worse than a maggot."

Robinson denied writing the posts and said Thursday that he would not be forced out of the race by "salacious tabloid lies." 

"You all have seen the half-truths and outright lies of Josh Stein on these ads over and over again – and now a story leaked by him to CNN is appearing now. Let me reassure you, the things that you will see in that story, those are not the words of Mark Robinson. You know my words, you know my character, and you know that I have been completely transparent in this race and before," Robinson said in a video message. "Clarence Thomas famously once said he was the victim of a high-tech lynching. Well, it looks like Mark Robinson is too by a man who refuses to stand on stage and debate me about real issues that face you." 

Robinson avoided directly discussing the controversy during a gubernatorial campaign event on Saturday evening at a racetrack in Fayetteville, the Associated Press reported. 

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The event happened after former President Trump did not mention Robinson at a rally about 90 miles away in Wilmington earlier in the day. Before Saturday, Robinson had been a frequent presence at Trump’s North Carolina campaign stops. The Republican presidential nominee endorsed Robinson, who would be North Carolina's first Black governor if elected, in the primary. 

Stein said Sunday on CNN’s "State of the Union" that Robinson is "utterly unqualified, unfit to be the governor of North Carolina, and we’re going to do everything in our power to keep that from happening."

On Sunday, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on NBC’s "Meet the Press" that Robinson deserves a chance to defend himself against the allegations, which Graham described as "unnerving." He said Robinson is "a political zombie if he does not offer a defense to this that’s credible," while arguing that either way, this would not cost Trump the battleground state. 

"If they’re true, he’s unfit to serve for office," Graham said of the allegations. "If they’re not true, he has the best lawsuit in the history of the country for libel."

Polls show Trump and Vice President Harris locked in a close race in North Carolina and nationally. Democrats have seized on the opportunity to highlight Trump’s ties to Robinson, with billboards showing the two together and a new ad from Harris’ campaign highlighting the Republican candidates’ ties.

Fox News' Matthew Reidy and the Associated Press contributed to this report.