Xavier Roger
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The Republican field for the presidential nomination is slowly but surely heating up, with high-profile GOP figures making the rounds across the country.
So far, only a few figures such as former President Donald Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley have officially announced their campaigns, but there are plenty of other presumptive candidates waiting in the wings as 2024 draws near.
Here’s who to keep an eye on.
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Donald Trump
Former President Donald Trump officially announced his third run for president last November at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
“America’s comeback starts right now,” Trump said in his announcement.
But Trump, who was previously seen as the favorite to win the nomination, has faced multiple setbacks since he last held office. Underperformance from Trump-style candidates in the 2022 midterms put a damper on his announcement speech in mid-November, and most recently the prospect of criminal indictments has mired his campaign.
‘Freaks’ and ‘Big spenders’:Why 2024 GOP hopefuls Trump, Haley, DeSantis are ripping their own party
Nikki Haley
Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley was the second notable candidate to officially enter the race after Trump. In her first campaign rally in her home state of South Carolina in February, Haley called for a “new generation” of leaders.
“We need someone who can shake up Washington and the political class,” said Haley. On the campaign trail, the 51-year-old candidate has touted her youth compared to other prominent figures in politics.
Haley has anchored the start of her campaign on that youth, making headlines when she called for “mental competency tests for politicians over 75 years old,” taking aim at, without naming them, the 76-year-old Trump and 80-year-old President Joe Biden.
‘Why not me?’:Nikki Haley on 2024 White House campaign
Vivek Ramaswamy
Outside of household Republican names, conservative entrepreneur and multi-millionaire Vivek Ramaswamy announced his presidential campaign in late February.
“It may seem presumptuous for a 37-year-old political outsider to pursue the highest office in the land, but I am running on a vision for our nation—one that revives merit in every sphere of American life,” said Ramaswamy, who has never held elected office before, in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.
Ramaswamy is most well-known for framing himself as a leader of the conservative culture wars against what he describes as “the woke agenda.”
A GOP war on ‘woke’?:Most Americans view the term as a positive, USA TODAY/Ipsos Poll finds
Ron DeSantis
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is presumed to be the running second to Trump in the field despite not officially launching a campaign as of yet.
But the Florida governor has been making the rounds across the country, stopping in key early states on the presidential nominating calendar such as Iowa and Nevada, and is scheduled to visit other states including New Hampshire.
DeSantis has recently faced criticism from Democrats and Republicans for his position on the war in Ukraine, saying that Ukraine is not a “vital” interest to the United States.
Will he ever hit back?:Trump’s blistering attacks on Gov. Ron DeSantis continue.
Mike Pence
Former Vice President Mike Pence is mulling a presidential bid of his own and has said he will come to a decision over the summer, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t already setting up a potential bid.
At the annual Gridiron dinner last week, which includes journalists and high-profile politicians, Pence gave his sharpest rebuke of his former boss yet.
“President Trump was wrong,” Pence said, referring to Trump’s efforts to pressure him to overturn the 2020 election. “I had no right to overturn the election. And his reckless words endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol that day. And I know that history will hold Donald Trump accountable.”
Exclusive:Mike Pence predicts ‘better choices,’ not Trump, as the GOP’s 2024 nominee
Tim Scott
Republican South Carolina Senator Tim Scott has been considering a presidential campaign, teasing the possibility in a visit to Iowa in February.
“I see a future where common sense has rebuilt common ground,” Scott said in a speech at Drake University. “Where we’ve created real unity, not by compromising away our conservatism, but by winning converts to our conservatism.”
Scott so far has largely focused on his biography, where in Iowa he described his early life growing up poor and as a child of segregation.
Will he or won’t he?:Republican Sen. Tim Scott weighs a historic White House bid
Chris Sununu
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has yet to make a decision as to whether he will make a run for the White House, but he launched a fundraising organization in February that allows him to raise unlimited amounts of money.
Related:Don’t ban TikTok from Americans’ phones, says NH governor and possible 2024 GOP candidate
Glenn Youngkin
Despite holding office for a little more than one year, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has drawn speculation that he will launch a campaign. The Virginia governor has made multiple appearances on TV networks including a live town hall on CNN.
Related:Can Glenn Youngkin convince the GOP base to choose him as the 2024 presidential nominee?
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