Between the 45th President of the United States, former members of his administration, to American businessmen and entrepreneurs, the 2024 Republican primary contains a plethora of candidates to watch. Scroll down to learn more about each candidate, their background, and the policies they’re championing as they each bid for the Republican nomination.
The Veteran
Challengers
Party Players
Underdogs
THE VETERAN
Donald J. Trump
45th President of the United States of America, former President of the Trump Organization
Former President Donald Trump remains the leader of the Republican party, consistently leading state and national polls. Trump’s 2024 platform carries forward previous promises while adding new ones: seeking to PROTECT MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY, return to economic prosperity with LOWER TAXES AND FREE TRADE, focus on ELECTION INTEGRITY, defend America’s borders and parental rights, and fight Critical Race Theory, gender ideology, and conservative censorship. With a loyal and seemingly permanent base, President Trump is widely considered the FRONTRUNNER in the race for the Republican nomination in 2024.
Read more: The Cycle Begins with Trump 2024
THE CHALLENGERS
Ron Desantis
46th Governor of Florida, member of the House of Representatives, Lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy
Florida native Ron DeSantis is the current governor of Florida where he has governed with strong conservative principles. After graduating from Yale University and Harvard Law School, DeSantis served in the Navy as a JAG officer, later being deployed to Iraq. DeSantis was elected in 2012 to serve in the House and became the 46th governor of Florida after receiving Trump’s endorsement. Hallmarks of the DeSantis administration have been FIGHTING CRITICAL RACE THEORY, COVID RESTRICTIONS, DEI IN EDUCATION, ESG, AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. DeSantis won by a large margin in 2022, securing his second term as governor, and remains second in early polling behind Trump.
Read More: Desantis Runs Rout in Florida
Nikki Haley
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, 116th Governor of South Carolina, member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
On February 14th, former Ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley announced her historic candidacy. Uniquely gifted in the art of retail politics, Haley is a known name in Republican politics and presents a STRONG ALTERNATIVE TO PRESIDENT TRUMP. Haley has made calling for competency tests for politicians over the age of 75 a reoccurring theme of her campaign, and she has notably split from President Trump on foreign policy and over REFORMING MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY. As governor, she famously transformed South Carolina into the Beast of the Southeast, and as US Ambassador to the United Nations, she defended Israel while STANDING UP TO CHINA, North Korea, and Iran. Ambassador Haley has never lost a race in her seasoned political career.
Read more: The Race Is On
Mike Pence
48th Vice President of the United States, 50th Governor of Indiana, member of the House of Representatives
Former Vice President Mike Pence has an accomplished political career as a strong conservative. After Pence graduated from Indiana School of Law, he began hosting The Mike Pence Show, a talk radio show. Pence was elected to the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES in 2000 where he served until 2013. In 2012, Pence was elected GOVERNOR OF INDIANA and he served one term until he was elected VICE PRESIDENT in 2016, serving under the Trump administration. Following the events on January 6th, Trump and Pence continue to have an icy relationship, resulting in Pence maintaining an awkward position within the party. Nevertheless, Pence announced his 2024 campaign on June 7, 2023.
Read More: Mike Pence Speaks at Mock Convention Spring Kickoff Event
Tim Scott
U.S. Senator from South Carolina, member of the House of Representatives, member of South Carolina’s House of Representatives
Tim Scott grew up in a single-parent household in South Carolina with his mother as a strong mentor. After attending Charleston Southern University, Scott embarked on a remarkable path of becoming a small business owner, subsequently being elected to the Charleston City Council, the South Carolina House of Representatives, the United States House of Representatives, and eventually the United States Senate in 2013. Key initiatives supported by Scott include creating OPPORTUNITY ZONES, PRO-LIFE POLICIES, AND SCHOOL CHOICE POLICIES. A true conservative, Scott joins Nikki Haley as one of two South Carolinian candidates in the race. The South Carolina primary will serve as an important test of Scott’s viability.
Chris Christie
55th Governor of New Jersey, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey
A former popular New Jersey governor, a 2016 Republican presidential candidate, and a former advisor to President Donald Trump, Chris Christie is ONE OF TRUMP’S MOST VOCAL AND AGGRESSIVE CRITICS. Known for his conservative record, retail politics, and a very famous 2016 debate moment involving Senator Marco Rubio, Christie has valuable presidential campaign experience, political talent, and a “straight talk” approach. Notably, Christie’s strategy begins in New Hampshire, with the candidate publicly making clear that he is skipping the Iowa caucus.
Vivek Ramaswamy
Author, founder of Strive Asset Management, former CEO of Roivant Sciences
On February 21st, conservative Indian-American entrepreneur, author, and activist Vivek Ramaswamy, 37, announced his 2024 campaign. While not as prominent as other candidates in both media coverage and polling, Ramaswamy has some signature campaign promises including a BAN ON AMERICAN COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS WITH CHINA, shutting down certain federal agencies, using military force against drug cartels, eliminating affirmative action policies, and fighting for national unity.
PARTY PLAYERS
Asa Hutchinson
46th Governor of Arkansas, served in the Cabinet of President George W. Bush, member of the House of Representatives for Arkansas
In an ABC interview in early April, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announced his bid for the 2024 Republican nomination. Historically, Asa Hutchinson supports LOWERING TAXES and, as governor, invested heavily in technology and innovation as well as computer science education. Hutchinson supports the SECOND AMENDMENT and is a PRO-LIFE CONSERVATIVE, serving as a House Manager during Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial and the undersecretary in the Department of Homeland Security from 2001 to 2003. Notably, Hutchinson has been openly critical of Trump.
Francis Suarez
43rd Mayor of Miami
Cuban American Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is yet another underdog in the 2024 campaign but with a unique platform. In some ways, he is at odds with the current GOP environment. Suarez has supported LGBTQ PRIDE events and has governed with CLIMATE-FOCUSED POLICIES. However, Suarez also represents a younger, more innovative part of the party with the open EMBRACE OF EMERGING ECONOMIC SECTORS such as Fintech, Medtech, and Greentech, following a freemarket approach. Suarez was more restrictive with respect to COVID in comparison to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis but stood with the governor on the initial Parental Rights in Education Act and considers himself to be PRO-LIFE.
Doug Burgum
33rd Governor of North Dakota, Senior Vice President at Microsoft
Born and raised in North Dakota, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum is fielding a true long-shot campaign. After attending the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Burgum started Great Plains Software, which was ultimately acquired by Microsoft in 2001. Until 2007, Burgum was Senior VP at Microsoft. In 2006, Burgum founded the Kilbourne Group, a real estate development firm that would revitalize downtown Fargo, ND. Burgum co-founded Arthur Ventures, a venture capital firm, creating billions of dollars of shareholder wealth. Billionaire Doug Burgum was elected governor of North Dakota in 2016 and was reelected in 2020. Burgum has governed with CONSERVATIVE CREDENTIALS with a UNIQUE ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS.
THE UNDERDOGS
Ryan Binkley
President and CEO of the Generational Group, Founder and Pastor of Create Church
Ryan Binkley is the President and CEO of Generational Group, an M&A investment bank and business advisory located in Houston, Texas. Binkley and his wife Ellie are also the founders of Create Church where Binkley serves as the LEAD PASTOR. Binkley graduated from the University of Texas and received an MBA from Southern Methodist University. Issues he plans to emphasize are BALANCING THE BUDGET, LOWERING HEALTH CARE COSTS, and bipartisanship on IMMIGRATION POLICY. Binkley is another long-shot candidate.
Larry Elder
Talk Show Host, 2021 California gubernatorial candidate
Larry Elder is an influential Californian conservative talk show host who notably ran against California Governor Gavin Newsom in a recall election back in 2021. Elder announced his presidential campaign on Tucker Carlson Tonight citing a “patriotic duty” to serve. Elder’s radio show is syndicated across 300 stations weekly across all 50 states during which he discusses topics such as BORDER SECURITY, CRIME, SCHOOL CHOICE, COMBATTING INFLATION, AND ELIMINATING CRITICAL RACE THEORY. Notably, in March 2022 Larry Elder came to speak at a College Republicans event in the chapel.
Perry Johnson
President of Perry Johnson International Holdings
Perry Johnson is a Republican businessman from Michigan who earned his fortune starting Perry Johnson Registrars Inc. which certifies if businesses meet industrial standards. Johnson ran for governor in Michigan in 2022 but was disqualified alongside several other candidates after he was deemed to have fraudulent signatures. Johnson ran a Super Bowl ad touting his plan to CUT FEDERAL SPENDING BY 2% every year. Johnson is a true long-shot candidate, barely registering in polls.
Will Hurd
Member of the US House of Representatives for Texas, former officer in the CIA
Will Hurd, a former CIA operative and Member of Congress, is a Texan who is very vocal on his DISLIKE OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. Since launching his longshot campaign, Hurd has not deviated from this approach, despite drawing the ire of Republican voters and plenty of boos at open events. Known for his BIPARTISAN STREAK and focus on TECHNOLOGICAL POLICY ISSUES, Hurd brings political experience to the race.