18-year-old senior Abilfazal Vadgamwala unveiled a detailed and surprisingly organized campaign for the 2028 United States presidential election.
Abil, from India, has his American citizenship and is a first-generation Indian American student. He formally announced his candidacy during an awkward Tuesday afternoon. Dressed in a suit and tie, he got his pictures for his campaign taken.
Abil said in an interview, “I want to show what young people can bring to the table.”
A key influence behind Abil’s campaign is entrepreneur and political figure Vivek Ramaswamy, whom Abil cited as a role model for his sudden interest to compete for the 2028 presidential election. Like Ramaswamy, Abil emphasized the importance of outsider perspectives in government and the need to challenge what he described as “stagnant political norms.”
Vivek Ramaswamy, Abil’s idol, is an American entrepreneur and political figure from Ohio who gained national attention during the 2024 Republican presidential primaries. After building wealth in the biotech industry through his company Roivant Sciences, he entered politics with a focus on conservative ideas like reducing government power and opposing “woke” policies.
His campaign style is direct, outspoken, and focused on younger voters, and it helped him stand out and influence political conversations, even though he was not the eventual nominee. As of right now, he is running for governor of Ohio, continuing to shape debates within the Republican Party and aiming to expand his role in state leadership.
Abil’s campaign foundation includes a series of proposals aimed at engaging younger generations in politics. Among these proposals is a plan to lower barriers to public participation by expanding voter education programs in high schools and encouraging debate-based learning. He also proposed a hypothetical “Youth Advisory Council” that would give students a voice in local and national decision-making processes.
On economic issues, Abil’s campaign focuses on innovation and entrepreneurship. He suggested incentives for small business startups led by young adults, along with increased funding for technology education. “We’re the generation that’s going to inherit the economy,” Abil said. “We should have a say in shaping it now.”
Abil’s campaign has been notable for its level of detail and consideration taken into place. His team of classmates, advisors for his campaign, Jackson Bogner and Luke Vetter will help to design a campaign website, produce social media content, and organize events throughout the school, including a mock debate and “town hall” sessions during lunch periods.
Teachers at Elder High have taken notice. Several are planning to incorporate Abil’s campaign into classroom discussions about government and elections. “It’s rare to see this level of engagement,” Doc Wahlert, social studies teacher at Elder and Colerain Trustee, said.
Despite the attention, Abil remains grounded about the purpose of his campaign. “If I have to stand up to get people talking about issues that matter, then it’s worth it.”
Abil’s message about youth involvement in politics has already made a lasting impression within the halls of Elder High School and maybe even beyond.
Vadgamwala’s campaign was announced on April 1.
