As we get closer to the 2024 presidential election, the pool of prospective candidates, especially within the GOP, has been changing steadily.
This presidential election will mark the 60th in the history of the United States and stands as the first one to take place following the overhaul of the Electoral Count Act resulting from the 2020 elections.
Even though 15 Republican candidates entered the race, seven dropped out of the primary, including former Vice President Mike Pence, following Francis Suarez, Will Hurd, Corey Stapleton, Perry Johnson, Larry Elder and Doug Burgum in that order.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden, who announced his candidacy for reelection on April 25, has garnered minimal competition thus far, with only a few of unlikely challengers stepping forward.
Here's a comprehensive list on who is running for president so far:
Democrats
U.S. President Joe Biden
As the 2024 presidential incumbent, Biden has an overall approval rating of 40%, according to an AP-NORC poll.
His support remains strong among Democrats, who gave the president an approval rating of 75%.
In a three-minute-long video, President Biden announced his run for reelection, stating that he wanted to "finish the job."
"Every generation has a moment where they have had to stand up for democracy. To stand up for their fundamental freedoms. I believe this is ours," the president said in the video. "That’s why I’m running for reelection."
If Biden, who is 80 years old, were to serve a full second term, he would be 86 years old, which is nine years older than Ronald Reagan was when he left office.
Marianne Williamson
Author Marianne Williamson, who previously made a run for the White House in 2020, launched her campaign for the 2024 Democratic nomination against incumbent President Joe Biden in April.
“It is our job to create a vision of justice and love that is so powerful that it will override the forces of hatred and injustice and fear," Williamson told a crowd at a campaign event covered by Politico.
Williamson, 70, is a Texas native who currently resides in Beverly Hills, California. Notably, she previously served as a spiritual adviser to talk show host Oprah Winfrey.
Cenk Uygur
In October, Cenk Uygur, the founder of liberal progressive news outlet The Young Turks, declared his candidacy for the 2024 Democratic presidential race, challenging President Biden.
The 53-year-old naturalized citizen emigrated from Turkey to the U.S. and ran in a California special election in 2020 for Congress, securing fourth place with just 6.5% of the vote.
Dean Phillips
Minnesota U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips filed for the New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary in late October.
While largely considered a long-shot candidate, the 54-year-old believes the next election could be a repeat of 2016 if he doesn't run.
"I listen every day to people around the country who are tired of the nonsense, tired of the fighting. We're fighting each other instead of fighting for the country, and it's time for generational change," he told Scripps News. "I love the president. I think he's done a spectacular job. I think he has saved our country at times we really needed him. It's time to pass the torch."
Republicans
Former U.S. President Donald Trump
While tangled in a wide array of pressing legal cases, Donald Trump, 77, was the first candidate from either party to formally declare his bid for the 2024 presidential election.
His announcement took place at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida back in November.
"Two years ago, we were a great nation, and soon, we will be a great nation again," Trump told his supporters in a speech. "This is not just a campaign. This is a quest to save our country."
Trump holds the distinction of being the first president in U.S. history to face criminal charges.
There are currently two civil cases and four criminal cases against Trump, two of which he has been indicted for.
The criminal cases include the indictment in the classified documents probe, the indictment connected to hush money payments, and two cases involving 2020 election interference.
The two civil cases include the E. Jean Carroll battery and defamation lawsuit and the Trump Organization tax fraud case.
Nikki Haley
Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, 51, announced her bid for the White House in February.
“It’s time for a new generation of leadership, to rediscover fiscal responsibility, secure our border, and strengthen our country, our pride and our purpose,” she said in her announcement.
Haley was appointed to be the United States ambassador to the United Nations in 2017 by President Donald Trump. She served for two years before stepping down in late 2018.
Haley is the daughter of Indian immigrants, and in the event of a successful primary campaign, Haley would make history as the first woman and first Asian American to receive the Republican Party's presidential nomination.
Ron DeSantis
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis launched his bid for the White House in May, and he's considered one of the strongest competitors against Trump in the GOP field of candidates wanting the party nomination. The 44-year-old Republican criticized the Biden administration's border policies, "unconstitutional" vaccine mandates, and the "ideological agenda" of the U.S. Military during the official announcement with Twitter CEO Elon Musk on a group audio call hosted on Twitter Spaces. "American decline is not inevitable; it is a choice," he said. "And we should choose a new direction — a path that will lead to American revitalization."
DeSantis was endorsed by Trump in his campaign to become governor of Florida and has enacted some of the same kind of populist policies that the former president supported.
Tim Scott
Republican Sen. Tim Scott, 57, entered the presidential race in May in hopes of becoming the first Black person to win a Republican presidential nomination.
He was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, where he has held state and local government offices.
"Joe Biden and the radical left are attacking every single rung of the ladder that helped me climb. And that's why I'm announcing today that I am running for President of the United States," he said during a rally courting voters. "They're attacking our American values, our schools, our economy and our security — but not on my watch."
Scott also said that he hopes to be the president who "destroys the liberal lie that America is an evil country."
Vivek Ramaswamy
Ohio multimillionaire business owner Vivek Ramaswamy, 39, is the only millennial in the race and a self-described "anti-woke" American nationalist.
Ramaswamy announced his candidacy in February, saying, "We are in the middle of a national identity crisis," in a video.
When asked by Scripps News what his plan is to get the nation on one team during the Iowa "Roast and Ride" event in June, Ramaswamy said, "That’s what I'm on a mission to do — revive the ideals that sent the country into motion — merit, excellence, and free speech."
Chris Christie
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, 60, filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Elections Commission on June 6, one day after former Vice President Pence declared his candidacy.
This is Christie's second attempt at grabbing the Republican nomination for president. He ran in 2016 and dropped out after the New Hampshire primary, where he finished in sixth place.
After dropping out, Christie became one of the first major Republicans to endorse Donald Trump for president. However, he has increasingly been critical of the former president.
"The person I am talking about who is obsessed with the mirror, who never admits a mistake, who never admits a fault and will always find someone else — and something else — to blame for whatever goes wrong but finds every reason to take credit for anything that goes right is Donald Trump," Christie said during his announcement at a town hall event in New Hampshire.
Asa Hutchinson
Former Republican governor Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas announced his candidacy in April, stating that he was inspired to run by people calling for a "consistent" and "optimistic" leader.
"I hear people talk about the leadership of our country, and I'm convinced that people want leaders that appeal to the best of America, and not simply appeal to our worst instincts," the former governor said on ABC News. "I believe I can be that kind of leader for the people of America."
Hutchinson, 72, has a history of experience, serving formerly as a prosecutor, a member of Congress, and director of the Drug Enforcement Administration, in addition to his prior role as Arkansas governor. But his name may not be widely known outside the state.
Ryan Binkley
In April, Ryan Binkley, a business executive and pastor from Texas, entered the GOP primary race. Despite never having held or run for elected office before, the 55-year-old positions himself as a "unifying" candidate capable of bridging partisan divides.
“We strive to create a culture that respects one another and one that honors God in all that we do," he stated on his campaign website.
Independents
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a renowned anti-vaccine activist, filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission in early April.
As a long shot, the 69-year-old initially vied for the Democratic nomination against President Biden and Marianne Williamson but later dropped out in October to run as an independent.
Kennedy, the nephew of President John F. Kennedy and son of the late Robert F. Kennedy, was previously a bestselling author and environmental lawyer.
Over the years he became an anti-vaccine activist and during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, his anti-vaccine charity, Children's Health Defense, saw an increase in revenue over twofold, reaching $6.8 million in 2020.
Cornel West
In October, Progressive activist Cornel West, 70, abandoned his Green Party presidential bid in favor of running as an independent.
“I’m running as an Independent candidate for President of the United States to end the iron grip of the ruling class and ensure true democracy!” West wrote on X. "People are hungry for change. They want good policies over partisan politics. We need to break the grip of the duopoly and give power to the people."
