In 2023, a crowded field of candidates emerged, including Trump, Florida governorRon DeSantis, former Ambassador to the United NationsNikki Haley, and wealth management executiveVivek Ramaswamy. Trump maintained a consistent lead in primary polling since the 2020 election. Among non-Trump candidates, DeSantis initially polled in a close second behind Trump,[18] but his polling numbers steadily declined throughout 2023.[19] Ramaswamy experienced a small polling bump in mid-2023, but this proved to be brief.[20][21] Haley's campaign began attracting greater attention in the final months of 2023, though neither she nor any other candidate came close to Trump in polling.[22] The Republican primaries were referred to as a "race for second" due to Trump's consistent lead in polls.[23]
At theJanuary 15 Iowa caucuses, Trump posted a landslide victory, with DeSantis narrowly beating out Haley for second place and Ramaswamy in a distant fourth.[24] Following the Iowa caucuses, Ramaswamy and DeSantis dropped out of the race and endorsed Trump, leaving Trump and Haley as the only remaining major candidates.[25][26] Trump then defeated Haley in theJanuary 23 New Hampshire primary, albeit by a smaller margin of victory than he achieved in Iowa;[27] he defeated Haley again in theFebruary 24 South Carolina primary, Haley's home state, a month later.[28] After Trump's overwhelming victories nationwide onSuper Tuesday, Haley suspended her campaign on March 6, having only wonVermont and Washington, D.C.[29] Her victory in the Washington, D.C. primary on March 3, 2024, made her the first woman ever to win a Republican Party presidential primary contest.[30]
On July 15, 2024, Trump and his running mate, U.S. Senator from OhioJD Vance, were officially nominated as the Republican presidential and vice presidential candidates at the Republican National Convention.[39] Trump became the first person to be the Republican nominee in three consecutive elections, and the second three-time Republican nominee, afterRichard Nixon (1960,1968,1972). The Trump-Vance ticket won thegeneral election on November 5, defeating theDemocratic Party ticket of incumbent Vice PresidentKamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota governorTim Walz.
During the 2024 election season, over 400 candidates filed with theFederal Election Commission (FEC) to run for the Republican presidential nomination.[40]
A week after the 2022 midterm elections, former presidentDonald Trump announced atMar-a-Lago that he wouldrun again for the presidency in 2024.[104] Trump was the first former president to run for president after leaving office sinceHerbert Hoover did so in1940. When he won the Republican nomination, he became the first Republican to be nominated for president three separate times sinceRichard Nixon (Republican nominee in1960,1968, and1972).[105] After winning thegeneral election, Trump became the only president other thanGrover Cleveland to serve two non-consecutive terms.[104]
On March 2, businessmanPerry Johnson, who had been deemed ineligible to appear on the Republican primary ballot in the2022 Michigan gubernatorial election due to allegedly fraudulent signatures, announced his intent to run for president in 2024.[91]
On June 22, former CIA agent and representative of TexasWill Hurd launched a run, after previously expressing interest in launching a presidential bid.[129]
On August 1, Donald Trump wasindicted a third time for trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.[130]
On August 14, Donald Trump wasindicted a fourth time for trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state of Georgia.[131]
On August 21, the slate of candidates that officially qualified for the debate was released: Doug Burgum, Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Asa Hutchinson, Mike Pence, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Tim Scott.[132]
On August 23, the first Republican candidates debate took place in Milwaukee, broadcast byFox News.[133] To be eligible for this debate, a candidate must have polled at least one percent, received donations from 40,000 individuals, and signed a loyalty pledge to back whoever ultimately wins the party presidential nomination.[134] Candidates deemed eligible for the debate wereDoug Burgum,Chris Christie,Ron DeSantis,Nikki Haley,Asa Hutchinson,Mike Pence,Vivek Ramaswamy andTim Scott.[135] Trump did not participate in the debate, instead filming an interview withTucker Carlson that was released minutes before the debate was scheduled to begin.[136]
On August 29,Francis Suarez suspended his presidential campaign, becoming the first major candidate to do so.[137]
On September 18, Donald Trump's campaign announced that he would be giving a speech inDetroit beforestrikingUnited Auto Workers union members at the same time as the second debate in California.[138] United Auto Workers presidentShawn Fain pointed out that Trump's speech was being held at a non-union plant whose workers were not connected to the strike.[139]
The requirements to attend the second debate were to be polling at three percent in at least three reputable national polls, while the donor requirement increased to 50,000 unique donations.[140] As of September 26, the slate of candidates that qualified for the second debate and would attend included: Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, Vivek Ramaswamy, Mike Pence, Chris Christie, and Doug Burgum. Asa Hutchinson, who appeared for the first debate, did not qualify.[141]
On October 20, businessmanPerry Johnson suspended his campaign.[147] Judge Chutkan lifted the gag order on Donald Trump to allow Trump's legal team to appeal the order.[148]
On November 6, the RNC announced that the following candidates qualified for the third presidential debate; Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, Chris Christie and Tim Scott. The criteria to qualify for the third debate were having more than 70,000 unique donations and polling at 4% or better in national polls and local polls in Iowa or New Hampshire.[152]
On November 8, the third Republican presidential debate took place inMiami,Florida. Donald Trump did not participate.[153]
On November 20, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reached a compromise between Trump and Chutkan, issuing a narrow gag order preventing Trump from "insulting" prosecutors, court personnel and potential witnesses, but allowing him to speak freely about outside counsel and issues relating to his presidential campaign.[155]
On November 30, DeSantis debated Democratic California GovernorGavin Newsom.[156]
On December 6, the fourth Republican presidential debate took place at theUniversity of Alabama inTuscaloosa.[158] Christie, DeSantis, Haley, Ramaswamy and Trump all met the donor and polling criteria. Trump again skipped the event.[159]
On December 22,CBS reported that Donald Trump was inquiring within his campaign and with his allies over the possibility of tapping Nikki Haley for his running mate. This came shortly after a poll which showed Haley in second place in Iowa with 29% to Trump's 44%.[161] In response, senior members of the Trump circle, includingDonald Trump Jr.,Roger Stone, andTucker Carlson, all rejected the idea.[162]
On January 5, the Supreme Court agreed to hear Trump's appeal of his removal from the Colorado ballot.[165]
On January 9,Gloria Navarro, judge for theUnited States District Court for the District of Nevada, rejected an effort inNevada to block former President Trump from appearing on the state's ballots by John Anthony Castro. Navarro stated that Castro, a resident of Texas who cited the 14th Amendment in the case, does not have the standing to sue Trump under Nevada law.[166] The point was largely moot, as the lawsuit would have barred Trump from appearing on the Nevada primary. Trump and the Nevada Republican Party had boycotted the state-organized primary in favor of a GOP-organized caucus.[167]
On January 10, former New Jersey governorChris Christie withdrew from the race.[168] The fifth Republican presidential debate was held atDrake University inDes Moines, hosted byCNN.[169] The requirements to attend were: finishing in the top three in local polls in Iowa, and be polling at at least 10% in both national and local polls.[170] The three candidates that qualified were Trump, Haley, and DeSantis. Trump again did not participate, leaving the debate solely between Haley and DeSantis.[171] Continuing hiscounterprogramming strategy, Trump instead appeared at a town hall withFox News.[172] Ramaswamy hosted a podcast interview with podcasterTim Pool andCandace Owens after not qualifying for the debate.[173]
On January 14, North Dakota governor and withdrawn candidateDoug Burgum endorsed Trump for president.[174]
On January 16, former Arkansas governorAsa Hutchinson suspended his campaign.[177] Later that same day, ABC announced it was canceling its debate scheduled for January 18, citing the fact that both Haley and Trump refused to attend.[178]
On January 21, Florida governorRon DeSantis suspended his campaign and endorsed Trump.[180] The departure of DeSantis left Trump and Haley as the only remaining major candidates for the Republican presidential nomination.[181]
On January 30,Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that Trump had reached out to him in April 2023 about becoming his vice president pick. Kennedy indicated that he was flattered, but that he had refused Trump's offer. In response, a senior Trump advisor,Chris LaCivita, denied the exchange ever took place.[184]
During a February 4 an interview withFox News, Trump outlined a list of criteria his running mate would have to meet and mentioned Tim Scott andKristi Noem as two examples of potential running mates.[185][186]
On February 6, theNevada primary took place. The primary was boycotted by theNevada Republican Party in favor of theNevada caucuses. As a consequence, Trump was not a candidate in the primary, while Haley was not in the caucus. Haley, while losing the primary toNone of These Candidates, was declared the official winner.
On March 2, Trump won theMissouri,Michigan andIdaho caucuses.[190][191][192] No delegates were allocated at the Missouri caucuses and delegates will not be bound until April or May.[193]
On March 12, Trump won theGeorgia,Mississippi, andWashington primaries and theHawaii caucuses. Trump's win in Washington gave him enough delegates to clinch the nomination.
Trump's eligibility to run for president had been disputed. On December 19, 2023, theColorado Supreme Court ruled inAnderson v. Griswold that he was ineligible underSection 3 of the 14th Amendment due to his role in the January 6, 2021, United States Capitol attack.[34] On December 28, 2023, Maine Secretary of StateShenna Bellows ruled that Trump was ineligible, also citing section 3 of the 14th Amendment. However, Bellows stayed her own ruling pending the results of a challenge in court.[210] On February 28, aCook County judge, Tracie Porter, ordered the removal of Trump from the ballot inIllinois, also citing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.[211][212]
On March 4, 2024, theSupreme Court of the United States issued a unanimous 9–0 ruling that the efforts by the Colorado Supreme Court, under orders of the Colorado Attorney general, to have Trump barred from the ballot, were unconstitutional as that decision can only be made by the United States Congress, and that Trump must be reinstated on the ballot.[37]
The first Republican debate was held on August 23, 2023, hosted byFox News and moderated byBret Baier andMartha MacCallum.[213] To be eligible for the debate, a candidate must have polled with at least 1% of voter support, received donations from 40,000 individuals, and signed a loyalty pledge to back whoever ultimately wins the party presidential nomination.[134] Doug Burgum, Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Asa Hutchinson, Mike Pence, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Tim Scott all qualified for the first debate. Donald Trump gave an interview withTucker Carlson during the same time slot.[132]
The second Republican debate was held on September 27, inSimi Valley, California, at theRonald Reagan Presidential Library. The requirements were similar to the first debate, but increased the number of individual donors required to 50,000 and required the candidates to poll at or above three percent in two national polls or in one national poll and two "early state" polls.[214] Seven candidates were invited to the second debate: Burgum, Christie, DeSantis, Haley, Pence, Ramaswamy, and Scott.[215]
The third debate was held inMiami, Florida, on November 8.[216] The donor threshold for the third debate increases to 70,000 unique donors, including 200 donors in 20 or more states, while the polling threshold increases to four percent in two national polls or four percent in one national poll and four percent in two statewide polls in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, or South Carolina.[217] Christie, DeSantis, Haley, Ramaswamy, and Scott qualified for the third debate.[218]
A fourth debate was held inTuscaloosa, Alabama, on December 6. The donor threshold increased to 80,000 unique donors, while the polling threshold increased to six percent in two national polls, or six percent in one national poll and six percent in two polls from different states among Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, or South Carolina.[219] DeSantis, Ramaswamy, Haley and Christie qualified for this debate.[219]
The fifth debate took place inDes Moines, Iowa on January 10, 2024, and was hosted by CNN and moderated byJake Tapper andDana Bash.[169] Additionally, a scheduled sixth debate, meant to occur on January 18, 2024, inGoffstown, New Hampshire, hosted by ABC, was cancelled two days prior.[220]
This is an overview of the money used by each campaign as it is reported to theFederal Election Commission (FEC). Totals raised include individual contributions, loans from the candidate, and transfers from other campaign committees. Individual contributions are itemized (catalogued) by the FEC when the total value of contributions by an individual comes to more than $200. The last column, Cash On Hand, shows the remaining cash each campaign had available for its future spending as of December 31, 2023. Campaign finance reports for the first quarter of 2024 will become available on April 15, 2024.[221]
This table does not include contributions made toSuper PACs or party committees supporting the candidate. Each value is rounded up to the nearest dollar.
Candidate who withdrew prior to December 31
Candidate who withdrew following December 31
Overview of campaign financing for candidates in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries
Republican Party rules mandate that changes to all contest dates must occur by September 2023, and there appears to be a trend of contests being scheduled earlier than usual.[1] They specify that all must occur between March and June 11, 2024 – except for Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina – which are allowed to hold contests in February. Iowa chose to hold its caucus the earliest in over a decade, on a federal holiday – January 15 – as the rules are not legally binding.[240]
After the 2020 presidential election, the Democratic-controlledNevada Legislature moved to establish a presidential primary for the Republican and Democratic parties.[241] Previously, party-organized caucuses were used in Nevada to determine delegates in presidential elections.
In May 2023, theNevada Republican Party sued the state of Nevada in an effort to continue the use of caucuses as the means to determine its delegate allocation. The Nevada Attorney General's office stated that the Nevada Republican Party was allowed to choose between a primary or caucus, since the primary is non-binding and because state law does not mandate specific rules governing how political parties are to choose its candidate for president.[242]
On August 14, 2023, the Nevada Republican Party announced it would hold its caucuses on February 8, while the February 6 state primary would not be binding.[243]
The Michigan primaries were originally scheduled to be held in March in accordance with Republican Party rules. Democrats, who were in control of the Michigan legislature and governorship after the2022 midterm elections, moved up both primariesas part of their own 2024 presidential delegate selection plan. As a result, the earlier date of February 27 violates Republican rules – which state that only Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina can vote earlier than March 1, 2024.[citation needed]
Republicans in Michigan have criticized Democrats in Michigan for their unilateral move.[244] Eventually, the Republicans held a primary on February 27 and a caucus on March 2.
There will be an estimated total of 2,467 delegates to the 2024 Republican National Convention. In contests until March 15, delegates must be awarded on a proportional basis, either by percentage of statewide vote or share of congressional districts won. Some states have established thresholds between 4 and 20% for proportionality to kick in, under which a candidate receives no delegates. A vast majority, 41 contests totaling 1,920 delegates, operate this way using methods that are hybrid between proportionality and majority-take-all. New York for example has a 20% threshold for proportionality but if a candidate wins a majority, they take all delegates.[245][246][better source needed]
North Dakota, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, Virgin Islands, and 51 of Pennsylvania's 67 delegates are unpledged (free to vote for anyone at the convention), totaling 119. Florida, New Jersey, Ohio, Colorado, Arizona, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Montana's delegates are strictly awarded on a plurality-take-all basis, totaling 428. It will be possible for a candidate to take all 928 delegates of 19 contests by simply winning a threshold of votes.[245][246][better source needed]
By Super Tuesday, over 40% of delegates will have been awarded, and most by March 19. Republican Party rules mandate changes to delegate allocation methods happen by September 30. The primaries will conclude with a final vote on the nominee by a majority of delegates, at the newly elected Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, which will be held July 15–18.[245][246][better source needed]
According to the current rules of the Republican Party, no candidate can have their name placed into nomination, thereby earning television airtime at the Republican National Convention, unless he or she has received a plurality of delegates in at least five states (the rules state that "'state' or 'states' shall be taken to include American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands").[1][247]
^This delegate count is accurate as of January 2024[update]. Delegate counts were subject to change based on the number of Republicans elected to the state legislatures, governorships, U.S. House, and U.S. Senate through December 31, 2023.
^Write-in vote totals are excluded from the above election data reporting for the following states, and are added to the total number of votes for candidates for the purposes of candidate vote share calculations:[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]
^Percentage of votes accounts for write-ins included byThe Green Papers as well as write-in votes not included in their tracking, which have been reported by Edison Research in Massachusetts, Illinois, Mississippi, Washington, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Nebraska. The total also excludes over/undervotes included in these totals
^Haley also won the state-organizedNevada primary, though these results were ignored by the Republican Party in favor of a party-organized caucus.[14]
^Haley would subsequently release her delegates in July, urging them to vote for Trump.[15]
^The first North Dakotan to run for president was U.S. RepresentativeWilliam Lemke who ran as theUnion Party's nominee in1936, but Lemke was not born in the state. The first person born in the state to run for president wasGary Johnson who ran as theLibertarian Party's nominee in2012 and2016; Johnson briefly sought the Republican nomination in 2012.[120]
^Scott's principal campaign committee, Tim Scott for America, was also used for his earlier congressional campaigns. Some of these figures, therefore, include money left over from those previous candidacies.
^The state-organized primary was boycotted by the Nevada Republican Party and its results ignored in favor of the party-organized caucus two days later.
^The U.S. Virgin Islands delegates were reduced from 9 to 4 for scheduling a caucus before March 15 that used aranked-choice voting scheme instead of a proportional system.[236]
^New Jersey was penalized for scheduling its primary after May 31 without a waiver.[237]
^Sian Cobb (November 15, 2023)."V.I. Republicans Oust Party Leaders in Fight Over Caucus Plans".St. Thomas Source.Archived from the original on December 26, 2023. RetrievedDecember 26, 2023.As submitted, the Virgin Islands Rule No. 16(f) filing will result in the size of the delegation being reduced from 9 delegates to 4 delegates...At the national convention, the 4 delegate votes will be allocated in accordance with RNC Rule No. 17(b)...
2024 U.S. presidential election
Florida[f]
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![Steve Laffey, mayor of Cranston, Rhode Island (2003–2007) and COO of Raymond James Morgan Keegan (2000–2001) (withdrew October 6, 2023)[101]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aSteve_Laffey_Profile.jpg)
![Corey Stapleton, Secretary of State of Montana (2017–2021) and Montana State Senator (2001–2009)[102] (withdrew October 13, 2023)[103]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aCorey_Stapleton%2c_2017.jpg)
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