7 Republicans most likely to challenge Trump in 2024

(The Hill) – All eyes are on many Republicans to see which rising star or celebrity will decide to fight former President Trump in 2024.

Trump formally announced his third run for the White House earlier this month, but the Republican midterm results have been disappointing. This includes Trump supporters who have struggled in their respective election campaigns, and has only encouraged other Republicans to run for their own presidency. .

Let’s take a look at the seven Republicans most likely to challenge the former president next election cycle.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R)

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a campaign rally in Hialeah, Florida, November 7, 2022.

DeSantis was seen as a likely 2024 challenger even before the midterm elections, but Republicans have made his re-election in Florida by a whopping 19 points ahead of Democrat Charlie Christ, making it the worst for Republicans. I saw it as a silver lining in what was generally a tough election.

The Florida governor, who is best known for going head-to-head with the Biden administration over COVID-19 restrictions and fomenting a culture war against companies such as Disney, has taken the question of whether he will run for office in 2024. I have avoided His remarks suggest he has no hesitation in bidding.

“At times like these, there is no substitute for victory. added later. We still have a lot of work to do and the battle has only just begun.”

Republicans say DeSantis is buoyed by his re-election success, but Republican strategist and former Trump campaign alum Brian Seyczyk also said: So he can try to pass laws that work well in primaries and general elections. “

Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley listens during a press conference in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022.

Haley has also hinted at her 2024 presidential ambitions, with a midterm presence over candidates such as New Hampshire Republican Senate candidate Don Balduk and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R-R). I made my feelings clear.

“If Biden succeeds in getting back the deal with Iran, I promise you. They applauded at the meeting of the Jewish Union.

A former ambassador to the United Nations and two-term governor of South Carolina, Haley is celebrated in Republican circles for her impressive resume. But some party members believe Trump’s run for president in 2024 will complicate the prospects of Haley and other candidates who have worked in the Trump administration and be seen as “Trump-adjacent.” suggests that it is possible.

“That’s the problem some of these Trump-adjacent candidates have. [Mike] Pompeo, [Mike] pence. Some of these people — I mean, they belonged to his administration. So why would someone choose you when they can choose Trump?” said Republican strategist Scott Jennings.

Haley has previously said she won’t run if Trump does in 2024. told the Associated Press in 2021 that she would talk to the former president about it. However, Haley’s teasing of her possible aspirations suggests she may not stick to that plan.

Former Vice President Mike Pence

Former Vice President Mike Pence sits for an interview with The Associated Press in New York on Wednesday, November 16, 2022.

Pence has also sparked speculation about his 2024 presidential run after visiting states such as Iowa and New Hampshire. The release of his new memoir only raised questions about his political future, but he hinted at what might happen next.

“He can act on the record of what he has done and the decisions that have been made as part of the administration as Vice President. You can say, ‘He’s the candidate,'” said Republican strategist Saul Anujis.

Anuzis said the confrontation between Pence and Trump following the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots could complicate whether some members of the Republican Party support the former vice president. but suggested that it might not be such a big factor among mainstream Republican activists.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses the audience at the regular “Politics and Eggs” rally at St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, Sept. 20, 2022.

A former Kansas congressman, former CIA director, and Trump-era secretary of state, Pompeo was comfortable with hinting at presidential ambitions and indirectly attacking his former boss. Like Haley, Pompeo could use his foreign policy experience to enter the White House bid.

Seitchik said Pompeo “is certainly right for the job,” but the former secretary of state “doesn’t have a natural funding base. He doesn’t have a natural electoral base.”

“I don’t know if he has the ‘it’ factor that I think modern politics needs today,” he added.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R)

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin addresses supporters at a campaign rally in Westchester, N.Y., Monday, Oct. 31, 2022

Youngkin made headlines in 2021 by defeating former Governor Terry McAuliffe (Democrat) in the Virginia gubernatorial election, becoming the first Republican to win the seat in more than a decade. The former private equity exec has also stepped into the culture wars. Most notably was the issue of critical race theory during his run for governor.

He campaigned alongside Republican gubernatorial candidates like Kari Lake of Arizona, Tim Michels of Wisconsin, and Joe Lombardo of Nevada. In a CNN State of the Union address last month, Youngkin said, “I think the Republican Party has to be the party that doesn’t shun or exclude people because they don’t agree on everything.

“Youngkin is a solid conservative and won with a typical swing that still leans toward purples and blues,” Anujis said. “He showed how to address some of the confrontational and controversial issues out there without making the conservative message edgy and confrontational.”

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R)

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan speaks at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s Annual Leadership Conference in Las Vegas, Friday, November 18, 2022.

Until recently, many Republicans avoided criticizing Mr. Trump, but after the party’s disappointing results in the midterm elections, Mr. Hogan didn’t hesitate to open up about his frustration with the former president. The governor of Maryland has admitted he is considering running for office, but some Republicans say his brand of “never Trumpism” is good for the Republican bloc that still supports Trump. I’m not sure if it’s an omen.

“If your identity has never been Mr. Trump, remember that the vote you are contesting is a collection of people who voted for Trump twice. This is the Republican primary, the Republican Party. Those who vote in the primaries have basically voted for Trump twice, with a few exceptions,” Jennings said, noting that Hogan earned the right to run for president.

“I think the non-Trump crowd feels somehow upset because many of those voters viewed them as inherently helping Democrats pile up in the Trump era,” he said. continued.

Senator Ted Cruz (Republican-Texas)

Senator Ted Cruz speaks at Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt’s campaign rally in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, November 1, 2022.

Cruz isn’t closing the door on another presidential election either, but considering he’s also looking to run for re-election in 2024, the math gets more complicated.

Republicans say they are interested in whether Cruz will change the way he brands himself as a candidate if he decides to run. However, some people say that it has not yet sold.

“His conservative credentials are impeccable. Seichik said, “I don’t think voters were particularly fond of him in 2016. Whether he has evolved since then is an important question.”