Former President of the United States
Donald Trump
Declared Nov. 15, 2022
- Age
78
- Birthplace
Queens, NY
- Residence
Palm Beach, FL
- Previous presidential campaigns
2000, 2016, 2020
- Offices held
45th President of the U.S. (2017-2021)
- Education
University of Pennsylvania (BS)
About the candidate
Former President Trump was the first candidate to declare his intent to run for the GOP nomination in 2024. He also became the first former president to face any kind of criminal charges after being indicted by a Manhattan grand jury in a case related to a payoff to a p*rn star. He now faces federal criminal charges, too, related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents that were discovered at his Mar-a-Lago resort. (Trump has denied wrongdoing in both cases.)
Trump, who was impeached twice, continues to falsely claim that he won the 2020 election and has said that he intends to repeal many of the Biden administration’s initiatives. Early polls indicate that nearly two-thirds of Republican primary voters would vote for Donald Trump. The former president has not said if he would support the nominee if another candidate wins the nomination, saying, “It would have to depend on who the nominee was.”
Campaign positions
Support legislation that represents a “record investment” in police
[Source]
Pardon "a large portion” of the people convicted of federal offenses for their participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
[Source]
Sign an executive order instructing federal agencies to “cease all programs that promote the concept of sex and gender transition at any age"; punish doctors who provide gender-affirming care to minors.
[Source; source]
“Get something done” on abortion; has declined to specify how many weeks into a pregnancy he would support a ban; has said a federal ban would need to include exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother.
[Source; source]
About the Republican VP Candidate
VP -
JD Vance
About the Republican VP Candidate
Vance has risen quickly to become Trump’s vice presidential nominee, and he would be the third-youngest vice president in history if their ticket wins this fall. He was raised in Kentucky and Ohio and wrote about his mother’s battle with drug addiction, a rotating cast of father figures and the other socioeconomic challenges his family faced in “Hillbilly Elegy,” a bestselling memoir that first earned him broad notice in 2016. Vance served in the Marines after high school, including in Iraq, and later graduated from Ohio State University and earned a law degree from Yale University, where he met his wife, Usha. Vance worked in venture capital before he moved back to his home state to start his own firm and eventually run for office in 2022, winning an open Ohio Senate seat after reversing his previous criticism of Donald Trump and earning his endorsem*nt in a crowded primary.
Donald Trump
Former President of the United States
Declared Nov. 15, 2022
- Age
78
- Birthplace
Queens, NY
- Residence
Palm Beach, FL
- Previous presidential campaigns
2000, 2016, 2020
- Offices held
45th President of the U.S. (2017-2021)
- Education
University of Pennsylvania (BS)
About the candidate
Former President Trump was the first candidate to declare his intent to run for the GOP nomination in 2024. He also became the first former president to face any kind of criminal charges after being indicted by a Manhattan grand jury in a case related to a payoff to a p*rn star. He now faces federal criminal charges, too, related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents that were discovered at his Mar-a-Lago resort. (Trump has denied wrongdoing in both cases.)
Trump, who was impeached twice, continues to falsely claim that he won the 2020 election and has said that he intends to repeal many of the Biden administration’s initiatives. Early polls indicate that nearly two-thirds of Republican primary voters would vote for Donald Trump. The former president has not said if he would support the nominee if another candidate wins the nomination, saying, “It would have to depend on who the nominee was.”
Campaign positions
Support legislation that represents a “record investment” in police
[Source]
Pardon "a large portion” of the people convicted of federal offenses for their participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
[Source]
Sign an executive order instructing federal agencies to “cease all programs that promote the concept of sex and gender transition at any age"; punish doctors who provide gender-affirming care to minors.
[Source; source]
“Get something done” on abortion; has declined to specify how many weeks into a pregnancy he would support a ban; has said a federal ban would need to include exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother.
[Source; source]
About the Republican VP Candidate
VP -
JD Vance
About the Republican VP Candidate
Vance has risen quickly to become Trump’s vice presidential nominee, and he would be the third-youngest vice president in history if their ticket wins this fall. He was raised in Kentucky and Ohio and wrote about his mother’s battle with drug addiction, a rotating cast of father figures and the other socioeconomic challenges his family faced in “Hillbilly Elegy,” a bestselling memoir that first earned him broad notice in 2016. Vance served in the Marines after high school, including in Iraq, and later graduated from Ohio State University and earned a law degree from Yale University, where he met his wife, Usha. Vance worked in venture capital before he moved back to his home state to start his own firm and eventually run for office in 2022, winning an open Ohio Senate seat after reversing his previous criticism of Donald Trump and earning his endorsem*nt in a crowded primary.
President of the United States
Joe Biden
Declared April 25, 2023
- Age
81
- Birthplace
Scranton, PA
- Residence
Washington, DC
- Previous presidential campaigns
1988, 2008, 2020
- Offices held
46th President of the United States (2021-present), 47th Vice President of the United States (2009-2017), U.S. Senator from Delaware (1973-2009)
- Education
University of Delaware (BA), Syracuse University (JD)
About the candidate
President Joe Biden launched his re-election campaign by urging Americans to “finish the job,” making a case for allowing his administration to continue to press its agenda and asserting himself as the country’s best option against a field of Republican candidates. In Biden’s campaign announcement, he said that he intends to continue to “fight for our democracy” against “MAGA extremists.”
Campaign positions
Protect Social Security and Medicare.
[Source]
Cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month for all Americans.
[Source]
Veto a national abortion ban if one makes it through Congress.
[Source]
Protect democracy and ensure that the nation’s traditions, including open elections, are allowed to remain.
[Source]
Continue to provide aid and assistance to Ukraine in an effort to keep Russian aggression at bay.
[Source]
Make the “wealthiest and the biggest corporations begin to pay their fair share” with a billionaire minimum tax; close tax loopholes; “quadruple the tax on corporate stock buybacks to encourage long-term investments instead”; ensure that anyone making under $400,000 a year won’t see a tax increase.
[Source]
About the Democratic VP Candidate
VP -
Kamala Harris
About the Democratic VP Candidate
Harris rose from district attorney in San Francisco to the vice presidency in a decade, making history along the way. She is the first Black and first Asian American vice president, having grown up the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants in Oakland, California. Harris went to Howard University before she moved back to California and got a law degree from the University of California Hastings College of Law. She then worked in the district attorneys’ offices in Alameda and San Francisco counties before she ran for the top prosecutor’s job herself in San Francisco County in 2004. Harris was elected state attorney general in 2010 and won a Senate seat in 2016. Three years later, she launched a bid for president, dropping out before the Iowa caucuses — but winning the vice presidency after Joe Biden selected her for the ticket. As vice president, she has taken on a policy portfolio including abortion, immigration and voting rights policy.
Joe Biden
President of the United States
Declared April 25, 2023
- Age
81
- Birthplace
Scranton, PA
- Residence
Washington, DC
- Previous presidential campaigns
1988, 2008, 2020
- Offices held
46th President of the United States (2021-present), 47th Vice President of the United States (2009-2017), U.S. Senator from Delaware (1973-2009)
- Education
University of Delaware (BA), Syracuse University (JD)
About the candidate
President Joe Biden launched his re-election campaign by urging Americans to “finish the job,” making a case for allowing his administration to continue to press its agenda and asserting himself as the country’s best option against a field of Republican candidates. In Biden’s campaign announcement, he said that he intends to continue to “fight for our democracy” against “MAGA extremists.”
Campaign positions
Protect Social Security and Medicare.
[Source]
Cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month for all Americans.
[Source]
Veto a national abortion ban if one makes it through Congress.
[Source]
Protect democracy and ensure that the nation’s traditions, including open elections, are allowed to remain.
[Source]
Continue to provide aid and assistance to Ukraine in an effort to keep Russian aggression at bay.
[Source]
Make the “wealthiest and the biggest corporations begin to pay their fair share” with a billionaire minimum tax; close tax loopholes; “quadruple the tax on corporate stock buybacks to encourage long-term investments instead”; ensure that anyone making under $400,000 a year won’t see a tax increase.
[Source]
About the Democratic VP Candidate
VP -
Kamala Harris
About the Democratic VP Candidate
Harris rose from district attorney in San Francisco to the vice presidency in a decade, making history along the way. She is the first Black and first Asian American vice president, having grown up the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants in Oakland, California. Harris went to Howard University before she moved back to California and got a law degree from the University of California Hastings College of Law. She then worked in the district attorneys’ offices in Alameda and San Francisco counties before she ran for the top prosecutor’s job herself in San Francisco County in 2004. Harris was elected state attorney general in 2010 and won a Senate seat in 2016. Three years later, she launched a bid for president, dropping out before the Iowa caucuses — but winning the vice presidency after Joe Biden selected her for the ticket. As vice president, she has taken on a policy portfolio including abortion, immigration and voting rights policy.
Activist
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Declared April 5, 2023
- Age
70
- Birthplace
Washington, DC
- Residence
Los Angeles, CA
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
None
- Education
Harvard University (BA), University of Virginia (JD), Pace University (LLM)
About the candidate
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., son of Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy, is an environmental lawyer and author. Kennedy isa vocal anti-vaccine activistand leads the Children’s Health Defense, a nonprofit group that has beensuspended from Facebookand Instagram after spreading Covid misinformation. He has selected as his running mate Nicole Shanahan, a tech lawyer who will be able to contribute millions of her own money into funding the campaign.
Campaign positions
“Dismantle the censorship-industrial complex, in which Big Tech censors, deplatforms, shadowbans, and algorithmically suppresses any person or opinion the government asks them to.”
[Source]
“Transform the police”; “train them in deescalation and mediation skills and partner them with neighborhood organizations.”
[Source]
“Significantly drop the level of chronic disease in our children.” (Kennedy has blamed childhood vaccines for autism.)
[Source]
“Lead the way toward national reconciliation”; “take racial healing seriously through a program of Targeted Community Repair.”
[Source]
About the VP Candidate
VP -
Nicole Shanahan
About the VP Candidate
Shanahan is an attorney, philanthropist and entrepreneur from California's San Francisco Bay Area who broke with the Democratic Party ahead of her political union with Kennedy. Her parents struggled financially as she grew up, and she said her family relied on food stamps and early work on her part to get by. She got degrees from the University of Puget Sound and Santa Clara University School of Law before she founded ClearAccessIP, a company that uses artificial intelligence technology to help patent holders manage their intellectual property, according to its website. Shanahan married Google co-founder Sergey Brin in 2018 and divorced him in 2022.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Activist
Declared April 5, 2023
- Age
70
- Birthplace
Washington, DC
- Residence
Los Angeles, CA
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
None
- Education
Harvard University (BA), University of Virginia (JD), Pace University (LLM)
About the candidate
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., son of Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy, is an environmental lawyer and author. Kennedy isa vocal anti-vaccine activistand leads the Children’s Health Defense, a nonprofit group that has beensuspended from Facebookand Instagram after spreading Covid misinformation. He has selected as his running mate Nicole Shanahan, a tech lawyer who will be able to contribute millions of her own money into funding the campaign.
Campaign positions
“Dismantle the censorship-industrial complex, in which Big Tech censors, deplatforms, shadowbans, and algorithmically suppresses any person or opinion the government asks them to.”
[Source]
“Transform the police”; “train them in deescalation and mediation skills and partner them with neighborhood organizations.”
[Source]
“Significantly drop the level of chronic disease in our children.” (Kennedy has blamed childhood vaccines for autism.)
[Source]
“Lead the way toward national reconciliation”; “take racial healing seriously through a program of Targeted Community Repair.”
[Source]
About the VP Candidate
VP -
Nicole Shanahan
About the VP Candidate
Shanahan is an attorney, philanthropist and entrepreneur from California's San Francisco Bay Area who broke with the Democratic Party ahead of her political union with Kennedy. Her parents struggled financially as she grew up, and she said her family relied on food stamps and early work on her part to get by. She got degrees from the University of Puget Sound and Santa Clara University School of Law before she founded ClearAccessIP, a company that uses artificial intelligence technology to help patent holders manage their intellectual property, according to its website. Shanahan married Google co-founder Sergey Brin in 2018 and divorced him in 2022.
Professor, historian, and political activist
Cornel West
Declared June 5, 2023
- Age
71
- Birthplace
Tulsa, OK
- Residence
Princeton, NJ
- Previous Presidential Campaigns
None
- Offices held
None
- Education
Harvard University (BA), Princeton University (MA, PhD)
About the candidate
Cornel West, progressive activist and author, is running as an independent. He initially announced his candidacy in June 2023 as a member of the People’s Party but decided to run for the Green Party nomination nine days later. When asked why he was not challenging Biden in the Democratic primary, West said that “neither party is speaking to the pressing needs of poor and working people.”
Campaign positions
“Wealth tax on all billionaire holdings and transactions”; “national $27 minimum wage”; “establish a federal Universal Basic Income commission”
[Source]
“Transform Paid Family Leave to mandate a minimum of six-months fully paid time off”; “institute a four-day work week”; “national free pre-K childcare”
[Source]
“Immediate cessation of all oil and gas leasing projects on federal lands and waters”; “federal moratorium on fracking, carbon capture, and direct air capture technologies, geoengineering, and other false climate solutions”
[Source]
“Codify abortion rights as a Constitutional mandate”; “nationalize the healthcare industry, including the pharmaceutical industry”
[Source]
About the VP Candidate
VP -
Melina Abdullah
About the VP Candidate
Abdullah is a professor in the Pan-African Studies department at California State University, Los Angeles, "whose heart, mind and soul is committed to the empowerment of poor and working peoples of all colors," as West described her after he invitied her onto the ticket. Her university biography describes her as "a womanist scholar-activist – understanding the role that she plays in the academy as intrinsically linked to broader struggles for the liberation of oppressed people," and she has pushed for ethnic studies curricula to be introduced and used in public schools. Abdullah, a Black Lives Matter activist, said that she first met West when she was an undergraduate student at Howard University; and that she kept in loose contact with him throughout her career as an academic.
Cornel West
Professor, historian, and political activist
Declared June 5, 2023
- Age
71
- Birthplace
Tulsa, OK
- Residence
Princeton, NJ
- Previous Presidential Campaigns
None
- Offices held
None
- Education
Harvard University (BA), Princeton University (MA, PhD)
About the candidate
Cornel West, progressive activist and author, is running as an independent. He initially announced his candidacy in June 2023 as a member of the People’s Party but decided to run for the Green Party nomination nine days later. When asked why he was not challenging Biden in the Democratic primary, West said that “neither party is speaking to the pressing needs of poor and working people.”
Campaign positions
“Wealth tax on all billionaire holdings and transactions”; “national $27 minimum wage”; “establish a federal Universal Basic Income commission”
[Source]
“Transform Paid Family Leave to mandate a minimum of six-months fully paid time off”; “institute a four-day work week”; “national free pre-K childcare”
[Source]
“Immediate cessation of all oil and gas leasing projects on federal lands and waters”; “federal moratorium on fracking, carbon capture, and direct air capture technologies, geoengineering, and other false climate solutions”
[Source]
“Codify abortion rights as a Constitutional mandate”; “nationalize the healthcare industry, including the pharmaceutical industry”
[Source]
About the VP Candidate
VP -
Melina Abdullah
About the VP Candidate
Abdullah is a professor in the Pan-African Studies department at California State University, Los Angeles, "whose heart, mind and soul is committed to the empowerment of poor and working peoples of all colors," as West described her after he invitied her onto the ticket. Her university biography describes her as "a womanist scholar-activist – understanding the role that she plays in the academy as intrinsically linked to broader struggles for the liberation of oppressed people," and she has pushed for ethnic studies curricula to be introduced and used in public schools. Abdullah, a Black Lives Matter activist, said that she first met West when she was an undergraduate student at Howard University; and that she kept in loose contact with him throughout her career as an academic.
Physician and environmental activist
Jill Stein
Declared Nov. 9, 2023
- Age
74
- Birthplace
Chicago, IL
- Residence
Lexington, MA
- Previous presidential campaigns
2012, 2016
- Offices Held
None
- Education
Harvard University (BA, MD)
About the candidate
Jill Stein, physician and environmental activist, is running as a candidate for the Green Party. Stein launched her campaign with a video posted to Facebook, which criticized “both parties” and said that the existing two-party political system is “broken”. Before launching her own campaign, Stein worked as a transition coordinator on Cornel West's campaign for the Green Party nomination. She departed when West decided to run as an independent and announced her own candidacy. Stein was the Green Party nominee for president in 2012 and 2016.
Campaign positions
Establish “an Economic Bill of Rights, including the right to a living-wage job, housing, food, healthcare, education and more”
[Source]
Establish a Green New Deal “with massive investment in green jobs, industries, and technologies”
[Source]
Promises “to put an end to the shameful legacy of systemic discrimination against women, Black and Brown people, Indigenous people, immigrants, people with disabilities, the LGBTQIA+ community, and other marginalized groups”
[Source]
“End the endless wars”; create new foreign policy “based on diplomacy, international law, and human rights to oppose violence, occupation, and apartheid.”
[Source]
Possible Green Party VP Candidates
Possible Green Party VP Candidates
Stein has not yet chosen a running mate for her Green Party candidacy.
Jill Stein
Physician and environmental activist
Declared Nov. 9, 2023
- Age
74
- Birthplace
Chicago, IL
- Residence
Lexington, MA
- Previous presidential campaigns
2012, 2016
- Offices Held
None
- Education
Harvard University (BA, MD)
About the candidate
Jill Stein, physician and environmental activist, is running as a candidate for the Green Party. Stein launched her campaign with a video posted to Facebook, which criticized “both parties” and said that the existing two-party political system is “broken”. Before launching her own campaign, Stein worked as a transition coordinator on Cornel West's campaign for the Green Party nomination. She departed when West decided to run as an independent and announced her own candidacy. Stein was the Green Party nominee for president in 2012 and 2016.
Campaign positions
Establish “an Economic Bill of Rights, including the right to a living-wage job, housing, food, healthcare, education and more”
[Source]
Establish a Green New Deal “with massive investment in green jobs, industries, and technologies”
[Source]
Promises “to put an end to the shameful legacy of systemic discrimination against women, Black and Brown people, Indigenous people, immigrants, people with disabilities, the LGBTQIA+ community, and other marginalized groups”
[Source]
“End the endless wars”; create new foreign policy “based on diplomacy, international law, and human rights to oppose violence, occupation, and apartheid.”
[Source]
Possible Green Party VP Candidates
Possible Green Party VP Candidates
Stein has not yet chosen a running mate for her Green Party candidacy.
Former Ambassador to the United Nations
Nikki Haley
Dropped out March 6, 2024
- Age
52
- Birthplace
Bamberg, SC
- Residence
Kiawah Island, SC
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (2017-2018), Governor of South Carolina (2011-2017)
- Education
Clemson University (BA)
About the candidate
Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina who served as ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration, was the first candidate to challenge her former boss for the Republican nomination. Haley has been critical of Trump and called for a “new generation of leadership.” Haley has not stated whether she will support the party’s eventual nominee.
Nikki Haley
Former Ambassador to the United Nations
Dropped out March 6, 2024
- Age
52
- Birthplace
Bamberg, SC
- Residence
Kiawah Island, SC
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (2017-2018), Governor of South Carolina (2011-2017)
- Education
Clemson University (BA)
Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina who served as ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration, was the first candidate to challenge her former boss for the Republican nomination. Haley has been critical of Trump and called for a “new generation of leadership.” Haley has not stated whether she will support the party’s eventual nominee.
Governor of Florida
Ron DeSantis
Dropped out Jan. 21, 2024
- Age
45
- Birthplace
Jacksonville, FL
- Residence
Tallahassee, FL
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
Governor of Florida (2019-present), U.S. Representative from Florida's 6th district (2013-2018)
- Education
Yale University (BA), Harvard University (JD)
About the candidate
Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida and a former U.S. representative, has long been viewed as the strongest potential challenger to Trump. He gained national attention and praise from the right for his pandemic response, along with his approach to issues such as immigration and LGBTQ rights. DeSantis has been reluctant to directly target Trump and has not said whether he would support him as the eventual nominee, instead focusing on criticisms of the Biden administration’s policies and tacking to Trump’s right on issues.
Ron DeSantis
Governor of Florida
Dropped out Jan. 21, 2024
- Age
45
- Birthplace
Jacksonville, FL
- Residence
Tallahassee, FL
- Previous presidential campaigns
- Offices held
Governor of Florida (2019-present), U.S. Representative from Florida's 6th district (2013-2018)
- Education
Yale University (BA), Harvard University (JD)
Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida and a former U.S. representative, has long been viewed as the strongest potential challenger to Trump. He gained national attention and praise from the right for his pandemic response, along with his approach to issues such as immigration and LGBTQ rights. DeSantis has been reluctant to directly target Trump and has not said whether he would support him as the eventual nominee, instead focusing on criticisms of the Biden administration’s policies and tacking to Trump’s right on issues.
Former Governor of Arkansas
Asa Hutchinson
Dropped out Jan. 16, 2024
- Age
73
- Birthplace
Bentonville, AR
- Residence
Rogers, AR
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
Governor of Arkansas (2015-2023)
- Education
Bob Jones University (BA), University of Arkansas (JD)
About the candidate
Asa Hutchinson, the former governor of Arkansas, has been critical of both the Biden and Trump administrations. He has said that another Trump presidential nomination would be the “worst scenario” for Republicans and called on Trump to “step aside” after the former president was indicted in New York. When asked if he would support Trump if he won the nomination, Hutchinson said, “I don't expect that he'll be the nominee, and I do expect that I will be supporting the nominee."
Asa Hutchinson
Former Governor of Arkansas
Dropped out Jan. 16, 2024
- Age
73
- Birthplace
Bentonville, AR
- Residence
Rogers, AR
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
Governor of Arkansas (2015-2023)
- Education
Bob Jones University (BA), University of Arkansas (JD)
Asa Hutchinson, the former governor of Arkansas, has been critical of both the Biden and Trump administrations. He has said that another Trump presidential nomination would be the “worst scenario” for Republicans and called on Trump to “step aside” after the former president was indicted in New York. When asked if he would support Trump if he won the nomination, Hutchinson said, “I don't expect that he'll be the nominee, and I do expect that I will be supporting the nominee."
Entrepreneur
Vivek Ramaswamy
Dropped out Jan. 15, 2024
- Age
38
- Birthplace
Cincinnati, OH
- Residence
Columbus, OH
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
None
- Education
Harvard University (BA), Yale University (JD)
About the candidate
Vivek Ramaswamy is an entrepreneur and a conservative commentator who has cast himself as the “true outsider” seeking the GOP nomination. His campaign has been largely self-funded. Ramaswamy has said that he plans to take Trump’s agenda “even further.”
Vivek Ramaswamy
Entrepreneur
Dropped out Jan. 15, 2024
- Age
38
- Birthplace
Cincinnati, OH
- Residence
Columbus, OH
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
None
- Education
Harvard University (BA), Yale University (JD)
Vivek Ramaswamy is an entrepreneur and a conservative commentator who has cast himself as the “true outsider” seeking the GOP nomination. His campaign has been largely self-funded. Ramaswamy has said that he plans to take Trump’s agenda “even further.”
Former Governor of New Jersey
Chris Christie
Dropped out Jan. 10, 2024
- Age
61
- Birthplace
Newark, NJ
- Residence
Mendham Township, NJ
- Previous presidential campaigns
2016
- Offices held
Governor of New Jersey (2010-2018)
- Education
University of Delaware (BA), Seton Hall University (JD)
About the candidate
Christie, the former governor of New Jersey, ran unsuccessfully against Trump for the GOP nomination in 2016. A Trump critic, turned ally, turned critic again, Christie has said he won’t support the former president as the GOP nominee. “I am the viable Trump alternative,” he told The Daily Beast in late April.
Chris Christie
Former Governor of New Jersey
Dropped out Jan. 10, 2024
- Age
61
- Birthplace
Newark, NJ
- Residence
Mendham Township, NJ
- Previous presidential campaigns
2016
- Offices held
Governor of New Jersey (2010-2018)
- Education
University of Delaware (BA), Seton Hall University (JD)
Christie, the former governor of New Jersey, ran unsuccessfully against Trump for the GOP nomination in 2016. A Trump critic, turned ally, turned critic again, Christie has said he won’t support the former president as the GOP nominee. “I am the viable Trump alternative,” he told The Daily Beast in late April.
Governor of North Dakota
Doug Burgum
Dropped out Dec. 4, 2023
- Age
67
- Birthplace
Arthur, ND
- Residence
Bismarck, ND
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
Governor of North Dakota (2016-present)
- Education
North Dakota State University (BA), Stanford University (MBA)
About the candidate
Doug Burgum, the two-term governor of North Dakota, began his career as a software entrepreneur and sold a company to Microsoft in 2001. As governor, he has signed legislation restricting abortion access and limiting transgender health care for minors. Burgum, who said he plans to spend some his own fortune on his run, has not clarified his opinion on Trump or whether he would support him as the eventual nominee.
Doug Burgum
Governor of North Dakota
Dropped out Dec. 4, 2023
- Age
67
- Birthplace
Arthur, ND
- Residence
Bismarck, ND
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
Governor of North Dakota (2016-present)
- Education
North Dakota State University (BA), Stanford University (MBA)
Doug Burgum, the two-term governor of North Dakota, began his career as a software entrepreneur and sold a company to Microsoft in 2001. As governor, he has signed legislation restricting abortion access and limiting transgender health care for minors. Burgum, who said he plans to spend some his own fortune on his run, has not clarified his opinion on Trump or whether he would support him as the eventual nominee.
U.S. Senator from South Carolina
Tim Scott
Dropped out Nov. 12, 2023
- Age
58
- Birthplace
North Charleston, SC
- Residence
Charleston, SC
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
U.S. Senator from South Carolina (2013-present), U.S. Representative from South Carolina's 1st district (2011-2013)
- Education
Charleston Southern University (BS)
About the candidate
Tim Scott, who hails from the key early primary state of South Carolina, is the only Black Republican in the Senate. Scott has said that the Republican Party needs a candidate who can appeal to both Republicans and “people who don’t agree with us.” Scott has been critical of the Biden administration, saying that the U.S. has become “a nation in retreat.”
Tim Scott
U.S. Senator from South Carolina
Dropped out Nov. 12, 2023
- Age
58
- Birthplace
North Charleston, SC
- Residence
Charleston, SC
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
U.S. Senator from South Carolina (2013-present), U.S. Representative from South Carolina's 1st district (2011-2013)
- Education
Charleston Southern University (BS)
Tim Scott, who hails from the key early primary state of South Carolina, is the only Black Republican in the Senate. Scott has said that the Republican Party needs a candidate who can appeal to both Republicans and “people who don’t agree with us.” Scott has been critical of the Biden administration, saying that the U.S. has become “a nation in retreat.”
Former Vice President of the United States
Mike Pence
Dropped out Oct. 28, 2023
- Age
65
- Birthplace
Columbus, IN
- Residence
Carmel, IN
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
48th Vice President of the United States (2017-2021), Governor of Indiana (2013-2017)
- Education
Hanover College (BA), Indiana University (JD)
About the candidate
Former Vice President Mike Pence appeared unflinchingly loyal to his boss until Jan. 6, 2021, when a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol and threatened Pence’s life over his refusal to block the certification of the 2020 election results. Prior to joining Trump’s 2016 ticket, Pence served six terms in Congress and one term as governor of Indiana. As governor, Pence enacted legislation restricting abortion access as well as a controversial religious freedom law that LGBTQ rights advocates said was a license to discriminate. In a video announcing his 2024 bid, Pence criticized President Joe Biden by name and Trump by implication. He said in an interview with Fox News that he will support the eventual nominee.
Mike Pence
Former Vice President of the United States
Dropped out Oct. 28, 2023
- Age
65
- Birthplace
Columbus, IN
- Residence
Carmel, IN
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
48th Vice President of the United States (2017-2021), Governor of Indiana (2013-2017)
- Education
Hanover College (BA), Indiana University (JD)
Former Vice President Mike Pence appeared unflinchingly loyal to his boss until Jan. 6, 2021, when a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol and threatened Pence’s life over his refusal to block the certification of the 2020 election results. Prior to joining Trump’s 2016 ticket, Pence served six terms in Congress and one term as governor of Indiana. As governor, Pence enacted legislation restricting abortion access as well as a controversial religious freedom law that LGBTQ rights advocates said was a license to discriminate. In a video announcing his 2024 bid, Pence criticized President Joe Biden by name and Trump by implication. He said in an interview with Fox News that he will support the eventual nominee.
Conservative talk radio host
Larry Elder
Dropped out Oct. 26, 2023
- Age
72
- Birthplace
Los Angeles, CA
- Residence
Los Angeles, CA
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
None
- Education
Brown University (BA), University of Michigan (JD)
About the candidate
Larry Elder is a conservative radio host who entered the political arena for the first time in 2021 when he ran unsuccessfully in the California gubernatorial recall election to remove Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Elder has used his platform to discuss his opposition to abortion rights, mask mandates and the Black Lives Matter movement, among other issues. Elder has not been clear about whether he would support the eventual nominee, but has been critical of Trump and has voiced concerns about the former president’s ability to appeal to swing voters.
Larry Elder
Conservative talk radio host
Dropped out Oct. 26, 2023
- Age
72
- Birthplace
Los Angeles, CA
- Residence
Los Angeles, CA
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
None
- Education
Brown University (BA), University of Michigan (JD)
Larry Elder is a conservative radio host who entered the political arena for the first time in 2021 when he ran unsuccessfully in the California gubernatorial recall election to remove Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Elder has used his platform to discuss his opposition to abortion rights, mask mandates and the Black Lives Matter movement, among other issues. Elder has not been clear about whether he would support the eventual nominee, but has been critical of Trump and has voiced concerns about the former president’s ability to appeal to swing voters.
Businessman
Perry Johnson
Dropped out Oct. 20, 2023
- Age
76
- Birthplace
Dolton, IL
- Residence
Bloomfield Hills, MI
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
None
- Education
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (BA), University of Detroit
About the candidate
Businessman Perry Johnson has never held public office, but tried to enter the Michigan gubernatorial race in 2022. He was disqualified after failing to submit enough valid petition signatures. Johnson, who says he proudly supported Trump and would support him should he win the party’s nomination again, has built his career in quality standards — writing a number of texts on the guidelines and specifications for ensuring products or services meet customer and regulatory prerequisites — and describes himself as “a problem solver, a quality guru.”
Perry Johnson
Businessman
Dropped out Oct. 20, 2023
- Age
76
- Birthplace
Dolton, IL
- Residence
Bloomfield Hills, MI
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
None
- Education
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (BA), University of Detroit
Businessman Perry Johnson has never held public office, but tried to enter the Michigan gubernatorial race in 2022. He was disqualified after failing to submit enough valid petition signatures. Johnson, who says he proudly supported Trump and would support him should he win the party’s nomination again, has built his career in quality standards — writing a number of texts on the guidelines and specifications for ensuring products or services meet customer and regulatory prerequisites — and describes himself as “a problem solver, a quality guru.”
Former U.S. Representative from Texas's 23rd district
Will Hurd
Dropped out Oct. 9, 2023
- Age
46
- Birthplace
San Antonio, TX
- Residence
San Antonio, TX
- Previous Presidential Campaigns
None
- Offices Held
U.S. Representative from Texas's 23rd district (2015-2021)
- Education
Texas A&M University (BS)
About the candidate
Will Hurd, a retired CIA officer and former Texas congressman, has billed himself as a "common-sense Republican" for "complicated times," capable of wooing swing voters who have strayed from the party in recent elections. He said he was driven to run by a number of "defining challenges" confronting the United States, includingChina's rise,inflationandhistoric declinesin school test scores. Hurd first won re-election to Congress in 2014 and announced he wouldretireahead of the 2020 election. He was thelone Black Republicanin the House when he left.
Will Hurd
Former U.S. Representative from Texas's 23rd district
Dropped out Oct. 9, 2023
- Age
46
- Birthplace
San Antonio, TX
- Residence
San Antonio, TX
- Previous Presidential Campaigns
None
- Offices Held
U.S. Representative from Texas's 23rd district (2015-2021)
- Education
Texas A&M University (BS)
Will Hurd, a retired CIA officer and former Texas congressman, has billed himself as a "common-sense Republican" for "complicated times," capable of wooing swing voters who have strayed from the party in recent elections. He said he was driven to run by a number of "defining challenges" confronting the United States, includingChina's rise,inflationandhistoric declinesin school test scores. Hurd first won re-election to Congress in 2014 and announced he wouldretireahead of the 2020 election. He was thelone Black Republicanin the House when he left.
Mayor of Miami
Francis Suarez
Dropped out Aug. 29, 2023
- Age
46
- Birthplace
Miami, FL
- Residence
Miami, FL
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
Mayor of Miami (2017-present), Miami Commissioner for District 4 (2009-2017)
- Education
Florida International University (BS), University of Florida (JD)
About the candidate
Francis Suarez has been the Republican mayor of Miami since 2017, having been elected overwhelmingly both times. Suarez, who is Cuban American, comes from a political family; his father, Xavier, was also a two-term mayor of the city. He has focused on attracting tech companies to Florida and reducing crime, and he has argued that he can help the party appeal to moderate voters with his focus on climate change. Suarez faces allegations that he inappropriately used his influence to help a real estate developer while he received payments from the company. His office has said the allegations are "false."
Francis Suarez
Mayor of Miami
Dropped out Aug. 29, 2023
- Age
46
- Birthplace
Miami, FL
- Residence
Miami, FL
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
Mayor of Miami (2017-present), Miami Commissioner for District 4 (2009-2017)
- Education
Florida International University (BS), University of Florida (JD)
Francis Suarez has been the Republican mayor of Miami since 2017, having been elected overwhelmingly both times. Suarez, who is Cuban American, comes from a political family; his father, Xavier, was also a two-term mayor of the city. He has focused on attracting tech companies to Florida and reducing crime, and he has argued that he can help the party appeal to moderate voters with his focus on climate change. Suarez faces allegations that he inappropriately used his influence to help a real estate developer while he received payments from the company. His office has said the allegations are "false."
U.S. Representative
Dean Phillips
Dropped out March 6, 2024
- Age
55
- Birthplace
Saint Paul, MN
- Residence
Wayzata, MN
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
U.S. Representative from Minnesota's 3rd district (2019-present)
- Education
Brown Univeristy (BA), University of Minnesota (MBA)
About the candidate
Dean Phillips, a three-term congressman and former CEO, has been critical of Joe Biden’s bid for reelection and has raised concerns about the president’s age and his lackluster approval ratings. When asked about his plans in August, Phillips said "My real call to action right now is not about me. The call to action is to ask the president to pass the torch." Phillips has already missed the filing deadline to participate in the Nevada Democratic Primary, one of the first nominating contests of 2024.
Dean Phillips
U.S. Representative
Dropped out March 6, 2024
- Age
55
- Birthplace
Saint Paul, MN
- Residence
Wayzata, MN
- Previous presidential campaigns
None
- Offices held
U.S. Representative from Minnesota's 3rd district (2019-present)
- Education
Brown Univeristy (BA), University of Minnesota (MBA)
Dean Phillips, a three-term congressman and former CEO, has been critical of Joe Biden’s bid for reelection and has raised concerns about the president’s age and his lackluster approval ratings. When asked about his plans in August, Phillips said "My real call to action right now is not about me. The call to action is to ask the president to pass the torch." Phillips has already missed the filing deadline to participate in the Nevada Democratic Primary, one of the first nominating contests of 2024.
Author and spiritual adviser
Marianne Williamson
Dropped out
- Age
72
- Birthplace
Houston, TX
- Residence
Los Angeles, CA
- Previous presidential campaigns
2020
- Offices held
None
- Education
N/A
About the candidate
Marianne Williamson is an author who gained notoriety for appearing on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” as Oprah’s spiritual adviser. Williamson ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination in 2020, dropping out in January 2020. Her 2024 campaign was briefly suspended on February 7, 2024 before "unsuspending" her campaign three weeks later. Williamson has never held political office.
Campaign positions
"Vigorously resist any effort to restrict, limit, or diminish the reproductive rights and freedoms granted by Roe v. Wade."
[Source]
“Declare a national emergency around the gun violence epidemic”; “eliminate the sale of assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons, ban bump stocks, high-capacity magazines, and 3-D printing of firearms.”
[Source]
Legalize “cannabis and psychedelics used for both recreational and medical purposes”; expunge past convictions.
[Source]
“Reach 100 percent renewable energy and dramatically reduce CO2 (carbon) emissions by 2035 or earlier.”
[Source]
Marianne Williamson
Author and spiritual adviser
Dropped out
- Age
72
- Birthplace
Houston, TX
- Residence
Los Angeles, CA
- Previous presidential campaigns
2020
- Offices held
None
- Education
N/A
Marianne Williamson is an author who gained notoriety for appearing on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” as Oprah’s spiritual adviser. Williamson ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination in 2020, dropping out in January 2020. Her 2024 campaign was briefly suspended on February 7, 2024 before "unsuspending" her campaign three weeks later. Williamson has never held political office.
Campaign positions
"Vigorously resist any effort to restrict, limit, or diminish the reproductive rights and freedoms granted by Roe v. Wade."
[Source]
“Declare a national emergency around the gun violence epidemic”; “eliminate the sale of assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons, ban bump stocks, high-capacity magazines, and 3-D printing of firearms.”
[Source]
Legalize “cannabis and psychedelics used for both recreational and medical purposes”; expunge past convictions.
[Source]
“Reach 100 percent renewable energy and dramatically reduce CO2 (carbon) emissions by 2035 or earlier.”
[Source]