Donald Trump
Announced: Nov. 15, 2022
Strengths: Former President Donald Trump has a stronghold with a significant portion of the GOP base. He has reshaped the Republican Party in his image, has shown he can raise money and has already won the presidency once.
Weaknesses: Chaos and controversy seem to surround him. Trump was impeached twice and is under investigation in multiple states due to his role in inspiring the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol and for his continued lies about the 2020 presidential election. Majorities have consistently disapproved of the job he did as president and continue to have a negative view of Trump personally.
Nikki Haley
Announced: Feb. 14, 2023
Strengths: Nikki Haley, the former Trump administration ambassador to the U.N. and former governor of South Carolina, was the first candidate to challenge Trump. She's a fresh and diverse ace on the national scene and will very likely be the only woman in the Republican 2024 presidential field. Haley served in the Trump administration, so she can tout that with the MAGA base, and she is a less abrasive conservative than Trump or Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Haley has a record as a governor (from a key early-primary state), articulates the case for Republican leadership well, is the daughter of Indian immigrants and is a couple of generations younger than Trump and Biden.
Weaknesses: Haley is not very well known nationally, and one of her first policy moves soon after announcing her bid was to say Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare should be on the chopping block.
There will also be parts of her record that conservatives will go after, like past, more inclusive statements on immigration and immigrants despite some harder-line policies she signed on to as governor in a party that has moved hard to the right on the issue. Then there's Haley's taking down of the Confederate flag at the South Carolina State House grounds after the killing of nine Black parishioners at a church in Charleston, South Carolina. How that will cut is unclear in a GOP primary, as the party has moved to the right culturally.
Vivek Ramaswamy
Announced: Feb. 21, 2023
Strengths: Former tech and finance executive Vivek Ramaswamy is a fresh, young diverse face for most Americans, has a sterling educational background and comes from the business world, which is traditionally valued in the GOP primary. He has been a prominent voice in conservative circles, arguing against the environmental, social and governance (ESG) movement and against "woke"-ism. That could help him with white-collar Republicans, who want an alternative to Trump.
Weaknesses: He's not well known, is very young for a presidential candidate, doesn't start with a solid base of support and will likely have trouble breaking through as a serious major candidate.
Asa Hutchinson
Announced: April 2, 2023
Strengths: Asa Hutchinson is Arkansas' former governor, and that executive experience is usually a good launching point for president. He's trying to carve out a position that appeals to Republican-leaning independents, as he's standing against the "chaos" of Trump and has criticized the former president because of his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection. He has a conservative record on taxes and abortion rights, which, on paper, could be attractive to the GOP base.
Weaknesses: Hutchinson's opposition to Trump will make it difficult to win over a significant portion of Trump's base. He also has a fairly dry personality and is on the older side for a presidential candidate, especially for one not already well known nationally.
Tim Scott
Announced: May 22, 2023
Strengths: Tim Scott is Black and from a key early GOP primary state South Carolina. While he's conservative, his diverse background and upbringing bring a different perspective to the white-dominated Republican Party. The only Black Republican senator can have a commanding presence and has a more optimistic outlook than Trump or DeSantis. He has also hoarded millions of dollars and started to reach out to a national donor base.
Weaknesses: His national profile is lacking, and that will take time and money to build. He also has to contend with the problem that Haley presents, running from the same state with a similar donor set and geographic strength. They could split the vote in the South Carolina primary, opening a path for another candidate. Scott is also untested when it comes to how he will attack another opponent. He's largely seen as a nice-guy candidate. Some of his views are also ultra-conservative and could hurt him in a general election.
Ron DeSantis
Announced: May 24, 2023
Strengths: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is the name on the tips of Republicans' tongues. He has been described as "Trump without the baggage" or "Trump with a brain." (He went to Yale University and Harvard Law School.) At only 44 years old, he's more than a generation younger than the former president. He has been governor of a big state Florida and gained prominence for his defiance on COVID-19 regulations, immigration and education. Several state and national polls over the past several months have shown him leading Trump, and while he has not declared his candidacy yet, people in his inner circle may believe now is the time.
Weaknesses: He may be more disciplined than Trump, but he lacks a certain charm. Some have cast doubt on his retail-politicking ability. While his conservative record may play well with many on the right, it's the very thing that may be his biggest weakness in a general election. As a U.S. House member, he was part of the ultra-right-wing House Freedom Caucus and was critical of then-House Speaker Paul Ryan's budget as not making enough cuts. Part of what he supported was a budget that slashed benefits to Social Security and Medicare. But he will also have to contend with anti-abortion-rights activists who believe Florida's 15-week abortion ban didn't go far enough. Generally, he's also untested as a national candidate. To this point, he has made Biden his foe, but how he'll handle the incoming from Republican rivals isn't clear at this point.
Chris Christie
Announced: June 6, 2023
Strengths: He's a sharp and direct talker, who was once a star with the GOP base. The former federal prosecutor is a good debater who has shown a willingness to take on all comers, including former President Trump. If Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' star continues to fade, there will be an opening in the other-than-Trump lane.
Weaknesses: His willingness to take Trump on is also his biggest problem. There isn't much room for anyone in the GOP who offends the Trump base, as it is still a significant majority of rank-and-file Republican voters. Christie has also shown a willingness to work with Democrats. He angered conservatives with his embrace of President Obama during Superstorm Sandy, and he has a tendency to make enemies with his sometimes-gruff personality.
Mike Pence
Announced: June 7, 2023
Strengths: Mike Pence's biggest strength as well as a big reason he was Trump's vice president in the first place is his appeal with white Christian evangelicals. They are a sizable portion of the Republican base, especially in Iowa, a critical early-nominating state. He has a national profile and has been involved in a presidential campaign once already.
Weaknesses: Pence's weaknesses are glaring. His break with Trump has made him a bit of a pariah for the MAGA base, and he doesn't have much of a base of his own beyond a segment of white evangelicals. Despite his national profile, he lags well behind the rest of the field in hypothetical matchups.
Doug Burgum
Announced: June 6, 2023
Strengths: He's a fresh face with little baggage nationally. As governor of North Dakota he's cut taxes, rolled back transgender rights and is expected to emphasize his small-town roots. Oh, and he's a billionaire, so money likely won't be an issue.
Weaknesses: Who? Seriously. Burgum has zero national profile and is from a small state. In an already-crowded field, standing out will be tough, especially with other huge personalities blotting out the sun.
Francis Suarez
Announced: June 15, 2023
Strengths: Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who speaks Spanish, brings an added layer of diversity to the Republican presidential field. And Republicans have struggled with Latinos in a demographically changing America. He is young and charismatic, and brings an "aspirational" message, as he calls it.
Weaknesses: Latinos are not a monolith. Suarez is Cuban-American, which could help in a state like Florida, but may have limited appeal in the southwest and other key swing states, where Americans of Mexican descent are crucial. Suarez is also not a household name, and without that name recognition, it is going to be difficult to mount a strong bid for the nomination, especially with Trump blotting out the GOP sun. Being a mayor is also a difficult place to launch a presidential campaign from and he may struggle to raise the necessary money to launch what will be a very expensive effort against well-heeled opponents.
Will Hurd
Announced: June 22, 2023
Strengths: He's smart and young, and wants to talk about the future of the party and the country. He also brings diversity as one of two Black men running for the GOP nomination.
Weaknesses: He's largely out of step with where the heart of the Trump-loving GOP is. He called Trump "lawless" in his announcement video, said he should have dropped out after the Access Hollywood tape was made public in 2016 and he criticized the former president after the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., and over his administration's family separation immigration policies. Though Hurd voted for a ban on abortions after 20 weeks, he has also looked for bipartisanship on issues from immigration to LGBTQ rights
