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The opening phase of the Republican presidential primary has largely centered on the escalating collision between former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
But a new wave of GOP White House hopefuls will begin entering the 2024 race as soon as this coming week after a monthslong lull. They include former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who will formally launch his campaign Wednesday.
Former Vice President Mike Pence has said he will finalize his plans in “weeks, not months.” He has kept a busy schedule of early state visits and policy speeches as aides have discussed details of an announcement including dates as early as May, but more likely in June. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who has formed a presidential exploratory committee, is expected to join the race in a similar time frame.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has been meeting with former aides and he returned to New Hampshire this past week, where he said at a town hall in the first-in-the-nation primary state, “Tonight is the beginning of the case against Donald Trump.” Christie has said he will make a decision “in the next couple of weeks.”
The contenders will enter the race at a critical moment as DeSantis, who hasn’t officially announced a campaign, has struggled to live up to sky-high expectations among some early backers. He has been losing support among elected Republicans in his own state to Trump and is prompting concern among some in the party that his positions on abortion and LGBTQ rights, among other issues, could render him unelectable in a general election.
Would-be rivals hope that dynamic leaves an opening for one of the fresh entrants to emerge as an alternative to the current polling leaders. Some strategists hope Trump and DeSantis will attack one another so viciously that they will turn off voters, who will search for an alternative.
Beyond Trump and Elder, the current field of official GOP presidential candidates includes Trump’s U.N. ambassador, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Both announced their bids in February.
The rivalry between Trump and DeSantis has been turning uglier by the day, with political groups supporting both men already spending millions on attack ads.
While DeSantis has largely ignored Trump’s jabs questioning his commitment to Social Security, his relationship with young girls as a teacher decades ago and even his sexuality, a pro-DeSantis super political action committee, Never Back Down, began to respond in its first round of paid ads last weekend.
Trump and his campaign have long seen DeSantis as his only serious challenger and believed the more crowded the field, the better for Trump, as candidates split the anti-Trump vote. But a repeat of 2016′s massive field hasn’t materialized, with potential candidates such as former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan passing on campaigns.
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8 comments
Pudding F. Ingers
April 22, 2023 at 6:29 pm
He has to wear those white boots and beg Uncle Joe for money to pump out Broward…🌈
Acid Head Ed 👍
April 22, 2023 at 7:01 pm
Sanders/Raskin 2024! We want UBI, higher wages, and Medicare for all!
David Pakman
April 22, 2023 at 10:52 pm
Need a good Marxist Leninist in Florida to wipe out the hogs, even things out, provide better public transportation, universal healthcare, universal education, state owned enterprise so more jobs, better wages, social services, better pay for police, sensible mixed use development, and the list goes on.
Phil Morton
April 23, 2023 at 8:06 am
Nobody cares. This website has become unreadable.
PeterH
April 23, 2023 at 8:56 am
Filling the 2024 Republican Klown Kar is the easiest job. Get your popcorn ready! Watching today’s GQP cat fight is more than entertaining!
Earl Pitts American
April 23, 2023 at 10:04 am
Good morning America,
Well if we cant have Don or Ron I, Earl Pitts American, hereby endorse Vivek “the actor who played Apu in the Simpson’s” Ramaswamy. Good ‘Ole Apu ran a tight ship at the Mini-Mart in Springfield and if that’s not an impressive resume for POTUS than America I, Earl Pitts American, judge you nay-sayers to all be guilty of racisim against former Indian Mini-Mart managers. As this is the most hatefull and oppressive form of racisim in America today. I, Earl Pitts “Equitable Judge Of Haters” American, hereby judge all leftist dook 4 brains Guilty of racisim against Indian Mini-Mart managers and hereby sentance you to pay reperations to Apu and his extensive family.
We will begin garnishing all dook 4 brains leftist paychecks for this noble cause beginning in June. Court Dismissed.
Thank you America,
Earl “Here Come Da Judge” Pitts American
Elliott Offen
April 23, 2023 at 10:15 am
👆 This guy needs medication before he gets himself hurt. Maybe even an ANTIFA bat to the side of the head.
Dont Say FLA
April 23, 2023 at 10:46 am
EPA, you admitted it! Leftists get paychecks. You might be slipping a little in your old adage.
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