By Los Angeles Times
July 15, 2023 5 AM PT
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A former vice president, two former governors, a sitting U.S. senator, a current mayor and a talk radio host recently joined a growing GOP list of 2024 presidential hopefuls, while an author and a Kennedy family member are competing for the Democratic nod.
All are considered major underdogs against the three headline-grabbing candidates, at least for now.
President Biden is expected to easily win the Democratic nomination while former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are battling for the Republican nod. Early polls show DeSantis trailing Trump, including in California, where the former president holds a 44%-26% edge among likely state primary voters.
Although California Gov. Gavin Newsom hasn’t announced a presidential bid for himself, he has been campaigning for Biden’s reelection, simultaneously building his own base in red states.
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Here are some of the official candidates:
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Joe Biden, Democrat
Biden on April 25 announced that he will seek the presidency again, dismissing doubts about whether he’ll be fit to start a second term when he’s 82. It’s still unclear whom Biden will run against, as the Republican primary is still taking shape. Read more >>
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Donald Trump, Republican
Trump announced his bid last November and is the GOP front-runner despite becoming the first former president in history to face a criminal indictment. Some believe the charges will help his candidacy. Read more >>
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Ron DeSantis, Republican
The Florida governor announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination on May 24 in a glitch-filled Twitter appearance. Though he trails in the polls, he is still the top rival to Trump. Read more >>
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Mike Pence, Republican
The former vice president launched his presidential campaign in June, challenging his former boss, Trump, for the Republican nomination. This matchup comes after their time in the White House ended with an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and Pence fleeing for his life. Read more >>
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Nikki Haley, Republican
The former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador became the first major challenger to Trump when she announced her candidacy in February. Read more >>
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Chris Christie, Republican
The former New Jersey governor directly challenged Trump when he announced his campaign in June, labeling the former president as someone “who always finds someone else and something else to blame for whatever goes wrong.” Read more >>
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Tim Scott, Republican
The South Carolina senator launched his campaign on May 22, saying he hopes he can serve as a contrast to the political combativeness that has dominated the early GOP primary field. Read more >>
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Francis Suarez, Republican
The Miami mayor announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination in June, just days after Trump appeared in court in his city to face federal charges for retaining classified documents. Read more >>
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Asa Hutchinson, Republican
During his announcement in April, the former governor of Arkansas positioned himself as an alternative to Trump and urged him to drop out of the race. Read more >>
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Larry Elder, Republican
The conservative talk radio host, who sought to replace the California governor in a failed 2021 recall effort, announced his candidacy in April. Read more >>
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Democrat
The nephew of President John F. Kennedy announced in April that he is challenging Biden for the Democratic nomination and likened his campaign to the American Revolution. Read more >>
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Vivek Ramaswamy, Republican
The wealthy biotech entrepreneur, investor and author of the book “Woke, Inc.” announced his bid for the GOP nomination in February. Read more >>
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Marianne Williamson, Democrat
The self-help author, whose 2020 White House campaign featured quirky calls for spiritual healing, launched another challenge to Biden in March. Read more >>