As the primary elections grow closer, the Republican primary looks increasingly competitive and is present a variety of candidates from across the political spectrum. While some candidates, such as former President Donald Trump, hold more sway and influence than others, it seems as though lesser known candidates one year ago are now making their impact on the election cycle. Though there are roughly fifteen candidates currently vying for the nomination, only a handful stand a chance: Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, businessman Vivek Rawaswamy, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, and former Vice President Mike Pence. Though other figures like former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie may play a role, as his campaign is based on attacking Trump, the five listed above are those most expected to be competitive for the nomination.
Early on, it seemed as though it would only be a two horse race between DeSantis and Trump, with DeSantis appearing to be gaining in popularity after the many scandals that faced Trump and his presidency. However, candidates like Rawaswamy gained popularity prior to the first debate, on and that debate stage in Milwaukee which did not include former President Trump, it was Haley who shined alongside Ramaswamy, as she claimed the former president was the “most disliked politician in America” and got in a heated argument with Ramaswamy about the Ukraine War. In fact, while going into the debate Haley was polling fifth among Republican candidates, in the month following she rose up to third, passing Ramaswamy and Pence, the latter running a rather bland campaign.
While it appears as though Trump will cruise to a third consecutive nomination by the Republican Party, as he is polling at 55% on the first of October, other candidates are not holding back or criticizing the frontrunner. “Following Donald Trump will not have a good ending,” former Arkansas Governor and minor candidate Asa Hutchinson claimed. Many of these candidates are risking their political futures in the Republican Party by opposing the man that has such a strong grasp on the GOP, but as the anti-Trump coalition of the Republican Party remains divided, polling indicates that Trump will represent the Republican Party in the 2024 election.
