Topline
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is set to become the first formal Republican challenger to former President Donald Trump’s third presidential bid on Wednesday when she will make an announcement in South Carolina, a day before another possible contender, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), will kickstart a listening tour in his home state—the latest signs that potential Trump alternatives are mobilizing to form what could be a crowded GOP primary field.
KENNESAW, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 05: Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley speaks during a … [+]
Key Facts
Donald Trump: The former president announced his entry into the race a week after the November election on wounded footing as prominent GOP members blamed him for a string of midterm election losses that left the party with a slimmer-than-expected majority in the House, but he maintains broad support among past supporters.
Ron DeSantis: Unlike Trump, the midterm election was a boon to the Florida governor, who won a second term by a wide margin and became the first GOP candidate in 20 years to win Miami-Dade County, and while he is unlikely to announce before the Florida legislative session ends in May, he is reportedly gearing up to hire staffers for a 2024 run.
Nikki Haley: After vowing not to run against Trump, the former South Carolina governor is expected to become his first official challenger on Wednesday during a a “special announcement” in Charleston, but Haley is polling at a low 3% among potential 2024 GOP presidential candidates according to a January Morning Consult poll.
Tim Scott: The South Carolina senator has made key hires for a super PAC in support of his political ambitions, Axios reported last week, and is set to hold a listening tour starting this week in celebration Black History Month in which he will promote a message of “hope and opportunity,” his senior adviser Jennifer DeCasper told the Wall Street Journal.
Mike Pence: The former vice president, while traversing the country to promote his new memoir, “So Help Me God,” has left open the possibility of a presidential run, recently telling CBS News, “I think we’ve got time . . . we’re going to continue to travel, we’re going to continue to listen,” though recent discoveries of classified documents at his Indiana home are widely been viewed to be a threat to his aspirations.
Mike Pompeo: Also out with a new book titled “Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love,” the former secretary of state told CBS in January he would decide on a 2024 presidential bid in “the next handful of months.”
Asa Hutchinson: Hutchinson, who served eight years as governor of Arkansas until the end of last year, recently told CBS he would likely make a decision about running for president in April and has been a vocal critic of Trump’s role in the January 6 Capitol riots, going as far to say it “disqualifies” him from running again.
Chris Sununu: The New Hampshire governor raised the prospects of a possible 2024 run on Sunday, telling CBS News’ Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan on Sunday that it would be “an opportunity to change things,” after recently taking steps to solidify his political future with the launching of a new super PAC.
Big Number
42%. That’s Trump’s favorability rating among 2,000 registered voters in a new Morning Consult poll, compared to DeSantis’ 41% rating and Biden’s 45%.
Key Background
Trump’s and DeSantis’ hold over the GOP has created a potentially smaller candidate field than past open primaries, while Trump’s ruthless attack style is widely viewed among politicos as a central reason that some candidates are taking their time in announcing runs. Already, Trump is floating possible nicknames for DeSantis—publicly he has referred to him as “Ron DeSanctimonious,” and in private conversations has called him “Meatball Ron,” an apparent jab at his appearance, and “Shutdown Ron,” a reference to DeSantis’ early, standard pandemic protocols, the New York Times reported. Trump, meanwhile, has also gotten off to a slow start in his 2024 bid. His announcement speech at Mar-A-Lago in November notably lacked the vigor of his raucous rallies and he brought in just $9.5 million in campaign donations in the six weeks after launching his campaign, about $2 million less than he raised in the six weeks prior to announcing, according to multiple reports. If a crowded GOP primary field does materialize, it could create a repeat of 2016 by splitting votes among other Republicans while Trump maintains his base of loyal supporters.
Surprising Fact
While the GOP primary race appears to be off to a sluggish start, the first major candidate to jump into the 2016 GOP primary race, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tx.), announced his campaign in March 2015. Trump announced in June.
Further Reading
Trump Launches 2024 Presidential Bid (Forbes)
Nikki Haley Will Reportedly Run For President In 2024—After Vowing Not To Challenge Trump (Forbes)
Less Than Half Of Republican Voters Would Back Trump In 2024 Primary, Poll Finds (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/02/13/trumps-2024-gop-competition-nikki-haley-and-tim-scott-make-moves-toward-republican-presidential-contest/