Who’re the Republican candidates operating for president in 2024?

Donald Trump stays the overwhelming favourite of GOP major voters. However that hasn’t stopped greater than a dozen candidates from staying within the race for the Republican nomination within the hopes that they will dethrone him — or no less than vie for a place in a possible second Trump administration.

The previous president, who introduced his candidacy in November, has been more and more dominant in polling. His closest competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, is trailing him by practically 50 proportion factors on common as of late October.

Everybody else is at present polling in single digits, and all appear to have failed of their makes an attempt to make use of the primary two GOP debates to eat into Trump’s lead. And after operating behind different high contenders in fundraising, former Vice President Mike Pence turned the fifth candidate to finish their bid for president on October 28.

It’s changing into more and more uncertain that anybody can grow to be a viable problem to Trump, regardless of some Republicans seeing him as a legal responsibility in a normal election. Not solely is Trump the topic of a number of ongoing civil and legal investigations, however he’s broadly unpopular amongst People. He misplaced his reelection bid in 2020, and his chosen candidates underperformed within the 2022 midterms. However, removed from turning off the bottom, all of that has solely additional entrenched Trump’s help amongst Republican voters.

Right here’s the whole lot that you must know in regards to the GOP contenders.

The GOP leaderboard

To this point, the first has formed as much as be a triumphant return to nationwide politics for Trump, and a contest for second place between his rivals. It’s not clear that DeSantis has what it takes to greatest Trump, his former mentor who stays beloved by the bottom regardless of the legal costs towards him. And regardless of her greatest efforts, former ambassador and Gov. Nikki Haley, who’s polling a distant third, has additionally but to emerge as a reputable challenger to Trump.

Former President Trump

The GOP major has been overshadowed by the legal costs towards Trump within the 4 instances over his involvement within the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, his retention of labeled paperwork after he left workplace, and hush cash funds made throughout his 2016 marketing campaign. He now faces a complete of 91 counts and potential jail time. That’s apart from the civil instances he faces, together with one that would strip him of his New York companies.

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Preventing the costs has in some respects weighed down Trump’s marketing campaign: He has used greater than $59.2 million of his marketing campaign funds to pay his authorized payments, and his court docket dates will proceed to intrude along with his busy marketing campaign schedule. However the court docket instances have additionally appeared to spice up Trump’s reputation among the many Republican base, as he has solely expanded his polling lead following every indictment. That might counsel that his supporters imagine the instances are certainly the product of a “political witch hunt,” as Trump has typically spuriously claimed.

That will assist Trump win the first. Nonetheless, it stays to be seen whether or not these indictments will trigger moderates and independents to show away from the previous president. If Trump had been to lose these voters, that would trigger critical issues for him. In head-to-head matchups versus President Joe Biden during the last month, some polls have Trump successful by as a lot as 10 proportion factors, whereas others have him dropping by as a lot as 3 factors. A lot might change earlier than November 2024, however ought to Trump be his celebration’s nominee, these numbers counsel a good race through which dropping moderates and independents may very well be the distinction between victory and defeat.

Regardless of this, Trump isn’t dealing with a lot criticism from his proper flank, along with his Republican opponents treading evenly in utilizing the investigations towards him to assault him as unfit for one more time period. Recognizing his continued grip on the Republican major voters and the danger of alienating them, the candidates have largely kept away from criticizing Trump straight. However in so doing, they’ve additionally struggled to carve out distinct lanes and current a transparent argument for why the celebration ought to dump Trump.

A second Trump time period would seemingly be extra radical than the primary. He got here into workplace in 2016 surrounding himself with members of the conservative institution who tempered his worst impulses. The subsequent time round, he would seemingly exchange these individuals with loyalists who would advance his personal pursuits, together with making his authorized issues go away.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

DeSantis was as soon as seen as probably the most viable challenger to Trump. He received reelection by practically 20 factors in 2022, serving to usher a purple wave into the once-swing state of Florida despite the fact that Republican candidates underperformed virtually all over the place else within the midterms. However he’s operating far behind Trump within the polls, and has struggled to run a marketing campaign that feels distinct from MAGA however nonetheless has sufficient normal enchantment to achieve success.

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DeSantis has been fastidiously cultivating a nationwide profile for years by making Florida a locus of conservative policymaking that has impressed copycat laws throughout the US. He’s promoted common conservative stances on practically each tradition conflict concern, together with attacking LGBTQ rights, minimizing the dangers of Covid-19, curbing abortion entry, and eliminating components of faculty curriculums deemed too liberal. He labored with the state legislature this session to enact that agenda in Florida, which he’s touting as his “blueprint” for America.

Past simply legislating to the precise, DeSantis has ensured that Florida will seemingly keep purple for the foreseeable future. Within the 2022 redistricting cycle, he pushed for a brand new, gerrymandered congressional map that finally closely benefited Republicans; the celebration flipped three Home seats within the midterms. He expanded the bottom, successful counties like Miami-Dade that Republicans haven’t carried in a long time, whereas showing to make extra headway with Latino voters. He raised greater than $200 million final cycle, breaking the report for gubernatorial races.

Nonetheless, he has had a troublesome few months. He signed an ultra-restrictive six-week abortion ban in Florida that some GOP donors fear will probably be unpalatable to normal election voters. He’s locked in a high-stakes battle with Disney through which he’s suffered loss after loss after loss, neutralizing his means to assert victory over “woke” firms. He has left Trump’s assaults largely unanswered for concern of alienating the bottom. His marketing campaign started with gaffes on topics from Ukraine to chocolate pudding (allegedly), and has not too long ago gone by means of a few rounds of restructuring. And there are questions on his likability, and whether or not his marketing campaign has sufficient cash to outlive the primaries.

He’s attempting to carve out his personal lane within the major by operating to the precise of Trump on points like Covid-19 and abortion and trying to attract a distinction with Trump’s bombastic management model. However in some ways, his candidacy doesn’t mark a departure from Trumpism. And meaning if DeSantis had been to be the GOP candidate for president, he’d actually need to contort himself to appear like a reasonable in a normal election towards Biden.

Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley

Trump’s US ambassador to the United Nations and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has framed herself as a youthful, extra reasonable candidate than Trump, who can win in a normal election. “Republicans have misplaced the favored vote in seven of the final eight presidential elections. That has to vary,” Haley stated in her announcement video. “It’s time for a brand new technology of management.”

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The daughter of Indian immigrants, Haley is centering her pitch for the presidency on international coverage and bridging the hole between MAGA and extra conventional GOP politics.

She’s advised that she would take a hardline stance towards America’s foes overseas. She had one of many highest approval rankings of anybody within the Trump administration and was well-respected by her friends on the UN Safety Council even when espousing controversial coverage choices, equivalent to Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, the Paris local weather accords, and the UN Human Rights Council.

In an setting the place most People cite authorities and inflation as the highest points dealing with the US, it’s not clear whether or not that international coverage expertise will resonate with voters. However Haley has conservative credentials, too.

She received the South Carolina governorship in 2011 with the help of the conservative Tea Occasion wing of the Republican Occasion and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. She went on to tighten voter ID legal guidelines, oppose Syrian refugee resettlement within the state, and earn bipartisan reward for signing a invoice to take down the Accomplice flag from the state capitol after a gunman killed 9 Black churchgoers in Charleston in 2015. In her announcement video, she hit typical conservative priorities, railing towards the “socialist left” whereas calling for securing the border and financial accountability.

However she’s additionally waded into tradition conflict battles. At a marketing campaign occasion in Could, she went on a rant towards a trans influencer who partnered with Bud Mild, a collaboration that resulted in a widespread conservative boycott of the model. She additionally declared herself to be “unapologetically pro-life” whereas advising the GOP discover a “consensus” on abortion that meets People the place they’re (and that retains her celebration successful elections).

If Haley prevails, she could be the primary girl and first Asian American to win the GOP nomination for president, including to the checklist of firsts she has already achieved: South Carolina’s first girl governor and the primary Indian American to serve in a statewide workplace there. She’s at present third, commonly polling about 50 proportion factors behind Trump.

Proper-wing activist Vivek Ramaswamy

Ramaswamy is probably not seen as a critical contender by a few of his Republican rivals, however he’s undeniably the breakout candidate of 2024 who’s utilizing his frequent media appearances to spice up his profile. Although he’s sliding within the polls, his combative debate performances and nonstop media appearances have helped him acquire some measure of (relative) reputation. He’s operating in fourth place, behind Haley.

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The son of Indian immigrants, a former biotech founder, and creator of the New York Occasions bestseller Woke, Inc., Ramaswamy made his identify railing towards socially accountable investing on cable information reveals. Over the previous few years, he’s been dubbed “the CEO of Anti-Woke, Inc.” by the New Yorker and has come out with a second guide, Nation of Victims: Id Politics, the Demise of Benefit and the Path Again to Excellence. All through his marketing campaign, he’s promoted a pledge to pardon Trump if he’s elected president.

In his announcement video, he staked his candidacy on combating the “woke left” and what he known as “new secular religions like Covidism, climatism, and gender ideology.”

“That is psychological slavery, and that has created a brand new tradition of concern in our nation that has utterly changed our tradition of free speech in America,” he stated within the video.

His marketing campaign has to date centered on tradition wars: He informed former Fox Information host Tucker Carlson after leaping into the race that his high priorities embrace ending affirmative motion, attaining “full decoupling” from China, reenvisioning US immigration coverage primarily based on “benefit,” and utilizing the American army to fight drug cartels in Central America. He’s additionally railed towards the executive state on the path, promising to shrink the federal authorities’s civilian workforce by 75 % — eliminating 2.2 million federal jobs — by the top of his first time period, if elected.

Whereas well-known in conservative circles, Ramaswamy would want to discover a method to pivot his message to make it extra interesting to independents and moderates in a normal election.

First, although, he faces rivals with far larger platforms, identify recognition, donor networks, and conflict chests — lots of whom arguably pioneered his model of politics. Even when Trump had been to someway implode, Ramaswamy would nonetheless face an uphill climb to the nomination.

The distinguished Trump critics

There’s little to be received in campaigning towards Trump when most Republican voters nonetheless approve of the previous president. However that hasn’t stopped a number of GOP contenders from attempting to take an ideological stand and provide Republican voters an off-ramp from MAGA insurance policies — one that the majority voters don’t notably seem to need.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie

Christie, as soon as a Trump defender, has grow to be one of many former president’s most outspoken critics. Christie has decried Trump’s reluctance to debate and his unwillingness to simply accept the outcomes of the 2020 election, in addition to known as the previous president a “coward” and “puppet of Putin.” He’s dedicated to not help Trump even when the previous president wins the Republican nomination.

“Watch out for the chief on this nation, who you might have handed management to, who has by no means made a mistake, who has by no means achieved something improper, who when one thing goes improper it’s all the time another person’s fault. And who has by no means misplaced,” Christie stated of Trump shortly after asserting his marketing campaign in June.

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It’s a outstanding 180-degree flip for somebody who was beforehand an in depth ally of Trump, briefly headed his White Home transition crew, and helped him put together for debates in 2020. But it surely’s not clear how that flip will win him help among the many many Republican voters who’ve rallied behind him since his 4 indictments.

If something, Christie’s assaults on Trump appear to have helped spare different GOP candidates from having to go on offense towards the previous president, who has been recognized to eviscerate his opponents with mud-slinging and name-calling. Christie has been on the receiving finish of Trump’s assaults earlier than, after they weakened his bid within the 2016 presidential major. The previous governor completed sixth earlier than finally endorsing Trump for the nomination.

Christie has highlighted his report as a reasonable governor, although his tenure as New Jersey’s government was marred by the “Bridgegate” scandal. His aides allegedly orchestrated a plot to shut lanes at a bridge that serves as a foremost artery to New York Metropolis in retaliation towards an area mayor who didn’t again his reelection marketing campaign. He continues to disclaim any information of the plot, regardless of witnesses within the legal trial of his aides testifying on the contrary. By the top of his second time period, his approval ranking had fallen to 15 %. As of late October, his polling common within the 2024 race hovered simply above 3 %.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson

Hutchinson is a longtime Trump critic and has beforehand informed ABC that he thought Trump ought to withdraw from the race in mild of the legal costs he’s dealing with. However as a former federal prosecutor who labored on President Invoice Clinton’s impeachment, Hutchinson has additionally acknowledged that Trump in all probability received’t try this and there’s nothing stopping him from carrying on.

“I imply, to begin with, the workplace is extra necessary than any particular person individual. And so for the sake of the workplace of the presidency, I do suppose that’s an excessive amount of of a sideshow and distraction, and he wants to have the ability to focus on his due course of,” Hutchinson stated.

Hutchinson served eight years as Arkansas governor earlier than stepping down in January as a result of he was term-limited. Whereas in workplace, he pushed a conservative agenda centered on a near-total ban on abortion with out exceptions for instances involving rape and incest, a regulation banning trans ladies from collaborating in class sports activities groups, and bans on Covid-19 vaccine mandates and state and native masks mandates.

He later expressed remorse on the lack of exceptions to the abortion ban and that he needed to reverse the ban on masks mandates amid an August 2021 surge in coronavirus instances. That hasn’t been sufficient for Hutchinson to make a lot of a mark on the 2024 race; all through the competition he’s struggled to crack even the only digits.

The opposite South Carolinian

Like Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott has institution credentials, is seen as a rising star within the celebration, and has scored the help of some main Republican donors. On paper, each are the kind of candidates who would have as soon as been shoo-ins for the nomination. Now, each — however particularly Scott — are attempting to choose up some momentum and preserve the cash flowing.

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott

Scott, the three-term South Carolina senator and solely Black Republican within the chamber, has framed a lot of his candidacy round pushing again towards Democrats’ views on systemic racism and different disparities within the US. Over the previous few years, he’s repeatedly cited his personal success as negating the concept that Black People are deprived by systematic racism and as proof that anybody can pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

“They know the reality of my life disproves their lies,” Scott stated of Democrats in his April launch video. “I do know America is a land of alternative, not a land of oppression. I do know it as a result of I’ve lived it.”

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As a senator, Scott has struck an analogous tone on race, acknowledging its position in American life whereas arguing that racism is basically one thing that infects people somewhat than being one thing for society to grapple with. He has beforehand known as out discrimination he’s confronted by police, together with being pulled over at visitors stops, for instance, whereas calling regulation enforcement a “noble” occupation. Scott touched on these themes throughout a listening tour in Iowa and South Carolina earlier this yr, urging audiences to acknowledge the progress that the US has made.

As an evangelical, Scott can also be making abortion restrictions a pillar of his marketing campaign. He has voiced help for a six-week abortion ban in his house state. He has additionally stated that he would enact a 15-week nationwide ban on abortion or “the most conservative pro-life laws Congress can move” if elected president.

He’s additionally echoed commonplace Republican speaking factors criticizing “Biden liberals” and touting conservative positions on points like immigration and crime. Legislatively, Scott is understood for serving because the GOP’s lead negotiator on police reform and because the sponsor of bipartisan laws to ascertain “alternative zones” that intend to drive funding to low-income areas through tax incentives.

The random Republicans with out a lot of a combating likelihood

There’s no telling how for much longer these candidates — with their lack of nationwide identify recognition and seeming incapability to carve out a definite lane relative to their rivals— will stay within the race for the nomination. All routinely ballot on the backside of the pack, and present few indicators of reversing that pattern.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum introduced his bid in a June Wall Avenue Journal op-ed, promising to make the financial system his high precedence with out mentioning thornier tradition conflict points: “We have to get inflation beneath management, reduce taxes, decrease fuel costs and cut back the price of dwelling,” he wrote.

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The 2-term governor and tech entrepreneur touted his expertise main Nice Plains Software program, which went public in 1997 and was offered to Microsoft in 2001 for $1.1 billion in inventory. His proceeds from that deal imply he’ll seemingly be capable to self-fund his marketing campaign. He’s highlighted how he “achieved pension reform, helped move time period limits, and enacted the most important tax reduce in state historical past” this yr. He has additionally set a objective of constructing North Dakota carbon-neutral by 2030, implementing carbon seize and storage know-how whereas nonetheless sustaining fossil gasoline manufacturing, which is a serious trade within the state.

Burgum is well-liked in North Dakota however doesn’t have the nationwide identify recognition of a few of his GOP rivals, neither is he solid from the Trumpian mould, which has made it troublesome for him to interrupt by means of to major voters who nonetheless love the previous president. Whereas he certified for the primary debate, he’s constantly struggled to ballot above 1 proportion level, regardless of providing potential donors present playing cards in alternate for his or her help.

Texas pastor and entrepreneur Ryan Binkley

Binkley has by no means earlier than sought political workplace and might be the least-known candidate. He based Generational Group, which advises mergers and acquisitions, in addition to Create Church in Richardson, Texas, alongside his spouse. The proceeds from his enterprise have allowed him to self-fund his marketing campaign.

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He’s operating on a Christian message however has additionally advocated for decreasing the nationwide debt, immigration reform, training funding in city areas, and reining in huge drug firms.

The dropouts

Former Vice President Mike Pence

Former Vice President Mike Pence attacked Trump as a matter of necessity, given his pivotal resolution to certify the outcomes of the 2020 election towards Trump’s needs. However he was by no means in a position to efficiently step out from the shadow of Trump, his onetime operating mate with whom he has severed ties.

When he introduced that he was dropping out on the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual gathering in Las Vegas, he urged fellow Republicans to withstand the “siren track of populism.”

“It’s grow to be clear to me that this isn’t my time,” Pence stated on the occasion.

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Pence was finally unable to drag off a balancing act between criticizing Trump and touting Trump’s coverage report and his position in it. He beforehand informed CNBC that the GOP is “going to have higher decisions” than the previous president. In an interview with NPR final November, he stated he thought Trump was “improper” in insisting that he received the 2020 election, and that Trump was “reckless” along with his phrases and actions on the day of the January 6 riot on the US Capitol.

Pence’s resolution to drop out earlier than the primary primaries appears to be a bid to protect his capital as a frontrunner within the conservative motion, and an acknowledgement that his platform was out of step along with his celebration at giant. His candidacy tried to enchantment to non secular conservatives’ views on abortion, spiritual liberty, and training. Although the Supreme Court docket’s resolution to overturn Roe v. Wade dampened GOP good points within the midterms, Pence, a distinguished evangelical Christian, solely doubled-down on his anti-abortion rhetoric. He has known as for a nationwide abortion ban and has thrown his weight behind a proposal by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) that will ban abortion after 15 weeks of being pregnant, and a ban on abortion tablets.

Past abortion, Pence’s coverage group, Advancing American Freedom, had laid out a platform that features an growth of 529 faculty financial savings plans to allow them to be used for Okay-12 colleges, selling the rights of well being care suppliers to say no to carry out sure providers on the idea of ethical or spiritual objections, and rolling again local weather change-related rules.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez

Suarez was the one Latino candidate within the race and has beforehand known as on candidates who don’t make the talk stage to drop out. He finally adopted his personal recommendation, dropping out of the race on August 29, changing into the primary candidate to finish their marketing campaign.

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Suarez staked his longshot candidacy on his “powerful on crime” platform. A video launched by a pro-Suarez tremendous PAC touts his help for regulation enforcement and factors to his personal insurance policies because the supply of reducing violent crime charges in Miami in 2023. He additionally took pictures at DeSantis on points from his lack of Covid-19 mitigation measures to how he’s dealing with his ongoing feud with Disney.

Suarez nonetheless faces questions on doable corruption. He’s beneath investigation by the Miami-Dade ethics fee for his work for Miami actual property developer Rishi Kapoor, who’s being investigated by the FBI and Securities and Alternate Fee. Kapoor allegedly paid Suarez $10,000 per thirty days to help him in securing authorities permits for an city actual property venture.

Former Texas Rep. Will Hurd

As a consultant of a border district and a reasonable, Hurd was an outspoken critic of Trump’s immigration insurance policies whereas serving in Congress. Hurd opted to not search reelection in 2020 as a result of he felt out of step with the laborious proper flip his celebration had taken beneath Trump. Nonetheless, he joined his Republican colleagues in voting towards Trump’s impeachment in 2019.

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In his announcement video, Hurd denounced Trump as a “lawless, egocentric, failed politician” whom he blamed for Republicans dropping management of the Home in 2018, in addition to the Senate and the White Home in 2020. However he additionally had sharp phrases for President Joe Biden’s insurance policies on immigration, crime, and inflation: “President Biden can’t resolve these issues or received’t.”

Hurd was often called a bipartisan dealmaker throughout his time in Congress, breaking along with his celebration on points equivalent to LGBTQ rights, gun management, and its push to repeal the Reasonably priced Care Act. However on condition that the Republican Occasion has solely additional dug in its heels on MAGA politics since his departure from workplace, Republican voters haven’t been all that inquisitive about a candidate who reaches throughout the aisle, and didn’t appear this time.

Hurd struggled to face out in a discipline already stuffed with huge names — to not point out all the opposite lesser-known candidates combating to extend single-digit ballot numbers — and finally retired from the race in October. He endorsed Nikki Haley.

Radio host Larry Elder

Elder, a conservative radio host and frequent speaking head on Fox Information, has by no means held political workplace however led the race to switch California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, in an unsuccessful recall marketing campaign in 2021. He dropped out of the GOP major and endorsed Trump in late October after failing to make the talk stage.

“America is in decline, however this decline shouldn’t be inevitable. We will enter a brand new American Golden Age, however we should select a frontrunner who can deliver us there,” he tweeted of his resolution to run for president.

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Elder, a vocal Trump supporter, has espoused conservative stances on points from abortion rights to pandemic restrictions, together with masks mandates. And as a Black man, he has critiqued the Black Lives Matter motion and known as the thought of systemic racism a “lie,” although he framed his insurance policies within the recall election as benefiting Black individuals.

He additionally attributed rising crime in 2021 to a policing pullback spurred by Democratic insurance policies. “Whenever you cut back the potential of a foul man getting caught, getting convicted and getting incarcerated, guess what? Crime goes up,” he informed the Los Angeles Occasions.

He and Michigan enterprise chief Perry Johnson, who has additionally since dropped out of the race, have stated that they are going to sue the Republican Nationwide Committee for excluding them from the talk stage.

Michigan enterprise chief Perry Johnson

Johnson dropped out of the race in mid-October after failing to qualify for the talk stage.

“With no alternative to share my imaginative and prescient on the talk stage, I’ve determined right now suspending my marketing campaign is the precise factor to do,” Johnson wrote to his supporters.

Johnson funded his marketing campaign with practically $8 million of his personal cash. In an try to fulfill the 40,000-donor threshold required to make it on the talk stage, he provided individuals a $10 present card for fuel in alternate for a $1 donation. The RNC decided, nonetheless, that he nonetheless didn’t qualify, and for that, he’s joined Elder’s lawsuit towards the group.

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He made his fortune because the founding father of Perry Johnson Registrars, which audits and certifies corporations that meet worldwide requirements for high quality administration programs.

Johnson’s platform centered on his “two-cents plan,” which he argued would cut back the federal deficit and inflation by curbing two cents of federal discretionary spending for each greenback.

Johnson beforehand sought the 2022 Republican gubernatorial nomination in Michigan however was disqualified from the first after submitting too many pretend signatures endorsing his candidacy.

Replace, October 30, 12:15 pm: This story was initially printed on February 23 and has been up to date a number of occasions, most not too long ago to incorporate that Mike Pence, Perry Johnson, and Larry Elder have withdrawn from the race.