WATCH: Vivek Ramaswamy Praised For Highlighting The 'Number One Social Problem In America' In Mic Drop Moment

Vivek Ramaswamy made a barnstorming impression at the first Republican Primary Debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Wednesday evening and earned praise from conservatives online for bringing the epidemic of fatherlessness to the forefront of the national discourse.

As reported by Fox News, Ramaswamy is a pharmaceutical entrepreneur and political outsider, much like 45th President Donald Trump. But he has captured the rapt attention of many conservatives for his unorthodox approach to America First conservative populism with a keen emphasis on domestic affairs and the health of the family at the heart of his campaign.

Vivek told the nation from Milwaukee, "The word privilege gets used a lot," alluding to the counterfactual critical race theory concept of 'white privilege," only to flip it on its proverbial head.

 "Well, you know what? I did have the ultimate privilege of two parents in the house with a focus on educational achievement and I want every kid to enjoy that."

He explained, "So part of the problem is we also have a federal government that pays single women more not to have a man in the house than to have a man in the house contributing to an epidemic of fatherlessness and I think that goes hand in glove with the education crisis as well, because we have to remember, education starts with the family, and the nuclear family is the greatest form of governance known to mankind."

Fellow Republican candidate Larry Elder, who was barred controversially from the debate stage, praised Ramaswamy's stance, posting to X, "I’m happy that Vivek recognizes there is an ‘epidemic of fatherlessness. It’s about time. Let’s hope the other candidates, the Democrats and the media start addressing this number one social problem in America."

Ramaswamy spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News in a statement, "25% of kids in America don’t have a dad in the house. True ‘privilege’ is not based on the color of your skin."

"It’s being raised in a stable family with two parents," she explained. "The federal government cannot on its own fix the fatherlessness crisis, but here’s what it *can* do: get the progressive boot off the neck of the family. Stop using taxpayer $$ to pay people to do the exact opposite of what’s likely to be best for them."

The national epidemic of fatherlessness has been extant in the conservative political zeitgeist for years through the work of Elder as well as economist Thomas Sowell and Canadian clinical psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson. But Ramaswamy may be the first presidential candidate to bring the issue so prominently to the fore during a presidential race.