Skip to content
Opinion
Jonathan Bernstein

Republicans Aren’t Thinking About Just Trump and DeSantis

In some presidential elections, the party heavily favors one candidate early on. Not this time.

A growing GOP field.

A growing GOP field.

Photographer: Wade Vandervort/AFP/Getty Images

The Republican presidential nomination is up for grabs. 

Given his enduring popularity with GOP voters, former President Donald Trump remains the front-runner. While he has yet to formally join the race, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been cast as his principal opponent for the Republican nomination. In past elections, the presence of two high-profile contenders might have been enough to deter other aspirants. But former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley’s announced candidacy Tuesday and anticipated declarations by other prominent Republicans indicate that many in the party are unwilling to commit to a candidate.