2024 US Election: Who’s Running for President?

The 2024 US election season is well underway as the list of individuals for the race to the White House has increased.

In the first half of 2023 alone, there are already nine Republican candidates, including former president Donald Trump, three Democratic candidates, including current president Joe Biden, and several other individuals who have thrown their hats in the ring.

Confirmed Republican Candidates

Here is the list of Republican contenders for the US Presidential Election in 2024:

Donald Trump

The businessman served as the 45th President of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Current President Joe Biden defeated him in his 2020 bid for re-election. He has the advantage of name recognition and popularity due to his engagements with large audiences at rallies and on TV.

These advantages translate into a lead in most polls, putting him ahead of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. However, he is facing multiple criminal charges and lawsuits, which could affect his bid to return to the White House.

Ron DeSantis

He is the current Governor of Florida and is considered Trump's main competitor in the GOP bid. As governor of the so-called "Sunshine State," he tackled issues related to "wokeism," such as those involving the LGBT+ community. He has also been criticized for the alleged ban on books that often cover race and gender issues and his legal dispute with Disney.

Tim Scott

The African American senator for South Carolina is the first Black senator from the South since 1881. While a consistent conservative, he sometimes diverged with his GOP colleagues on the issue of police brutality after he authored a police reform bill separate from that of the Democrats following the murder of George Floyd. He has recently planned to form a presidential exploratory committee to assess his White House bid.

Nikki Haley

She is the only confirmed female candidate in the Republican bid and was the first to challenge Trump when she declared her candidacy. She became famous in 2015 when, as governor of South Carolina, she oversaw the removal of the Confederate flag at its state capitol. She also served as the US ambassador to the United Nations under the Trump administration.

Vivek Ramaswamy

Ramaswamy is an entrepreneur and investor who declared his intention to run for presidential office in February. Unlike Trump, he had no prior political experience. He made headlines after clashing with former CNN presenter Don Lemon over civil rights history for supposedly minimizing the continued legacy of racism in modern times.

Mike Pence

Pence is the most recent candidate, who officially filed for candidacy on June 5. He served as vice president to Trump but broke ranks after the riot on Capitol Hill when he led the certification of the presidential election won by Biden in January 2021. He has also testified against Trump in the recent grand jury investigation over multiple charges and lawsuits.

Asa Hutchinson

Like DeSantis, the former governor of Arkansas was highlighted by issues like the resumption of capital punishment, his opposition to the LGBT+ ideology, and the refugee resettlement in the state. However, he disagreed with DeSantis's approach to dealing with Disney.

Larry Elder

Elder is a lawyer and well-known conservative commentator who became famous after his failed attempt to run for the governorship of California against incumbent Gavin Newsom. Despite being Black himself, he has been publicly criticized for his controversial comments about women, the LGBT+ community, and Black people. Elder was also criticized for allegedly spreading scientific misinformation regarding vaccines and climate change.

Perry Johnson

The Michigan-based businessman declared his intent to run for the White House last March. Part of his platforms includes cutting $0.02 of every dollar in federal discretionary spending "to end inflation and solve the debt crisis," dismantling the Department of Education, and pardoning Trump if he ever won.

Confirmed Democrat Candidates

Here is the list of Democratic contenders for the US Presidential Election in 2024:

Joe Biden

Biden is the 46th and current President of the United States. He previously served as vice president for Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017. As the incumbent, he is the presumptive Democratic nominee. However, many within his party are concerned about his advanced age and ability to perform his duties should he be re-elected. Of particular note was his recent stumble after speaking and congratulating the graduating cadets of the US Air Force Academy.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy is the son of slain Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of assassinated US President John F. Kennedy. RFK Jr. is an environmental lawyer by profession but was more known for criticizing vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. This caused Meta to ban him on Instagram for some time, and he was only reinstated on the platform recently. Before COVID, several members of the Kennedy family expressed they were heartbroken with the direction he was heading into regarding his stance on vaccines.

Marianne Williamson

He is a self-help author and the sole female Democrat candidate. While her previous attempt to run for office in the 2020 election was unsuccessful, she became a social media sensation on TikTok for her perspectives on social justice, the environment, and corporate greed. Predictions say she would use her clout to her advantage by swaying younger Democrat voters to her cause. However, she was also accused of alleged verbal and emotional abuse by her former staff.

Major Party Contenders

Several other Republican contenders, such as Chris Christie, Doug Burgum, Francis Suarez, Glenn Youngkin, and John Bolton, are yet to announce their presidential bids.

Meanwhile, Liz Cheney (R), Kristi Noem (R), Greg Abbot (R), Marco Rubio (R), Brian Kemp (R), John Bolton (R), Tucker Carlson (R), and Pete Buttigieg (D) have not yet provided any information whether or not they would continue with their White House bids.

Other Contenders

Aside from the major parties, other individuals have expressed their intent to run, such as perennial candidate John Anthony Castro, former Michigan gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson, Cranston mayor Steve Laffey, and former Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton.

In addition, rappers Joseph "Afroman" Foreman and Kanye West, Catholic podcaster and author Taylor Marshall, Peter Sonski of the American Solidarity Party, and philosopher and public intellectual Cornel West have expressed their desire to run for the presidency.

Libertarians Lars Mapstead, Mike ter Maat, Chase Oliver, and Green Party's Howie Hawkins have also filed for candidacy.

Who's Out?

Several Republican politicians have expressed early on they would not run for the White House, such as New Hampshire governor Chris Sununu, former Maryland governor Larry Hogan, and former CIA director Mike Pompeo.

Senators Josh Hawley, Rick Scott, and Ted Cruz have also been ruled out of the White House race.

Meanwhile, Libertarian candidate Joseph Allen "Joe Exotic" Maldonado is serving a 21-year sentence for his involvement in a murder-for-hire plot.