As the Republican presidential primary intensifies this summer, most White House hopefuls are devoting their time to events in Iowa and New Hampshire, the states that kick off the nomination process early next year. Not Ron DeSantis or Donald Trump.
The Florida governor will address more than 1,500 faithful Republicans on Saturday at Nashville’s Music City Center. A few weeks later, the former president will swing through Alabama to headline the state GOP’s biggest event of the summer.
Trump, the early GOP frontrunner, and DeSantis, who is trailing him for second place, are hardly ignoring voters in the states that jumpstart the Republican contest. Over the past month, they’ve both held rallies and other major events in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, sometimes even appearing in the same state on the same day.
But they are doing more than the other GOP candidates to strengthen their position in states like Tennessee and Alabama that will hold elections on so-called Super Tuesday. That’s when the largest number of delegates, which candidates win state-by-state, are up for grabs of any single day in the primary cycle.
Mark Humphrey
FILE - People wait to vote on Super Tuesday in the gymnasium at Cleveland Park Community Center, Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. While most GOP presidential candidates are focused only on early states like Iowa and New Hampshire, Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis also are looking ahead to Super Tuesday. March 5, 2024 is when the largest number of of delegates are up for grabs of any single day in the primary cycle. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
Only Trump and DeSantis, who have raised tens of millions of dollars to support their campaigns, have the resources to work in any meaningful way beyond the early states. And GOP leaders beyond Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina say it’s a smart strategy.
“I know everybody’s focused on Iowa and New Hampshire,” said Scott Golden, chairman of the Tennessee GOP, who noted that early voting in his state begins in mid-February, before South Carolina is scheduled to hold its contest. “But it is worth taking a little time out to come to Tennessee.”
For presidential candidates, Super Tuesday is a circled-in-red date — next year, it’s March 5 — that can make or break a campaign.
Coming quickly after contests in early states such as Iowa and New Hampshire, the set of roughly 14 primaries are held across a broad geographic area, from California and Texas to Massachusetts and Maine. The day also is a test of a campaign’s ability to organize supporters, its financial strength and a chance for those candidates who are still standing to run up their delegate total.
Steven Senne
FILE - Former President Donald Trump speaks at the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women Lilac Luncheon, Tuesday, June 27, 2023, in Concord, N.H. While most GOP presidential candidates are focused only on early states like Iowa and New Hampshire, Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis also are looking ahead to Super Tuesday. March 5, 2024 is when the largest number of of delegates are up for grabs of any single day in the primary cycle. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
In 2016, for example, Trump’s Super Tuesday dominance signaled, against conventional political wisdom, that the businessman and reality TV star was likely to be the party’s nominee. President Joe Biden similarly romped through Super Tuesday in 2020, quickly forcing most of his remaining rivals to drop out.
This cycle, Trump and DeSantis have been nailing down key endorsements in Super Tuesday states, starting to hire staff and readying supporters to knock on doors.
The early start reflects the candidates’ confidence they will be in the running come March, when the field typically has been winnowed down. Public polling shows Trump currently leading comfortably, followed by DeSantis, with other candidates trailing. They include former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor.
Of course, targeting Super Tuesday states is no guarantee for winning the nomination. After a late entry in the 2020 Democratic presidential race, billionaire Mike Bloomberg’s strategy was to bypass early contests and win in Super Tuesday states. The former New York mayor spent over $500 million but finished well behind Biden in the delegate haul.
Charlie Neibergall
FILE - Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst's Roast and Ride, Saturday, June 3, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
Trump and DeSantis haven’t entirely had the Super Tuesday states to themselves. Candidates including former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson have traveled in California and elsewhere. Haley is among those who went to Texas to visit its border with Mexico. But their campaigns have been almost solely focused in early states, some on one in particular.
Pence, an evangelical Christian, has primarily targeted Iowa, where a large portion of GOP primary voters are evangelicals. Christie is counting on independent-minded voters in New Hampshire to support his anti-Trump candidacy, while Haley and Scott hope for good showings in their home state of South Carolina, which votes 10 days before Super Tuesday.
Trump and DeSantis have the money to wage a broader campaign. Trump will report raising over $35 million in the second quarter of this year alone, his campaign said, while DeSantis’ campaign said he brought in $20 million in just six weeks after announcing his candidacy.
Trump formally entered the race with the huge advantage of having run and won races in these states before, and his campaigning in many of them hasn’t stopped since he lost the 2020 election. In 2021, for example, Trump held a “Save America” rally in Alabama that the state GOP said drew some 50,000 people.
“People of Alabama have a special relationship with Donald Trump,” said Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl, noting Trump handily won the GOP primary in 2016, when he was battling Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida for the nomination. Trump also won the general election in Alabama easily in 2016 and 2020.
While a small state compared to many other Super Tuesday contests, Wahl said places like Alabama allow candidates to demonstrate support among conservative voters that are “the heartbeat of the Republican Party.”
“It’s states like Alabama that are going to be where (Trump) hopes to make a lot of ground,” he said. “And if other candidates are going to beat him, they have to compete with him in those states.”
DeSantis and Never Back Down, the super PAC supporting him, are trying. The PAC plans to invest $100 million on ground operations targeting the first 18 states — four early states plus Super Tuesday states — including paid staff such as state campaign directors. Door knocking is well underway in the first states and will start in Super Tuesday states this summer, with a goal of having 2,600 people out supporting the Florida governor by Labor Day.
“Nobody else is doing what we’re doing as of this point,” spokeswoman Erin Perrine said.
She described the door knocking as a crucial piece of the PAC’s work because when DeSantis’ supporters talk to voters about his personal story — a blue-collar upbringing, serving in the military, his legislative accomplishments — they like what they hear.
“They know the name, but they don’t necessarily know the man,” Perrine said. “We’ve seen that where we show people the man that we take away Trump supporters and that they come over to the DeSantis camp.”
One of DeSantis’ most prominent endorsements in a Super Tuesday state was from Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, who joined the Florida governor for a rally in Tulsa last month, a move that angered Trump and some of his allies in Oklahoma.
The state party is neutral on the race, said Chairman Nathan Dahm, but he said Oklahoma still seems to lean in the former president’s favor. He noted he passes a home while out running that for six or seven years has had “Veterans for Trump” proudly displayed out front.
Still, Dahm said Super Tuesday contests can offer redemption to a candidate that might stumble in an earlier state.
“You can never know what dynamics will change,” he said. “They should have a long-term strategy. Oklahoma is part of that.”
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Debt ceiling deadline is extended to June 5, later than previously estimated, Yellen says
Evan Vucci, Associated Press
Donald Trump, Republican
Former President Donald Trump, aiming to become only the second commander-in-chief ever elected to two nonconsecutive terms, announced in November that he is seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
“In order to make America great and glorious again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States,” Trump told a crowd gathered at Mar-a-Lago, his waterfront estate in Florida, where his campaign will be headquartered. - CNN
Evan Vucci, Associated Press
Donald Trump, Republican
Former President Donald Trump, aiming to become only the second commander-in-chief ever elected to two nonconsecutive terms, announced in November that he is seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
“In order to make America great and glorious again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States,” Trump told a crowd gathered at Mar-a-Lago, his waterfront estate in Florida, where his campaign will be headquartered. - CNN
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Debt ceiling deadline is extended to June 5, later than previously estimated, Yellen says
Charlie Neibergall, Associated Press
Nikki Haley, Republican
Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador, announced her candidacy for president on Feb. 14, becoming the first major challenger to former President Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination.
The announcement, delivered in a video, marked an about-face for the ex-Trump Cabinet official, who said two years ago that she wouldn't challenge her former boss for the White House in 2024. But she changed her mind in recent months, citing, among other things, the country's economic troubles and the need for "generational change," a nod to the 76-year-old Trump's age.
"You should know this about me. I don't put up with bullies. And when you kick back, it hurts them more if you're wearing heels," Haley said. "I'm Nikki Haley and I'm running for president."
Charlie Neibergall, Associated Press
Nikki Haley, Republican
Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador, announced her candidacy for president on Feb. 14, becoming the first major challenger to former President Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican nomination.
The announcement, delivered in a video, marked an about-face for the ex-Trump Cabinet official, who said two years ago that she wouldn't challenge her former boss for the White House in 2024. But she changed her mind in recent months, citing, among other things, the country's economic troubles and the need for "generational change," a nod to the 76-year-old Trump's age.
"You should know this about me. I don't put up with bullies. And when you kick back, it hurts them more if you're wearing heels," Haley said. "I'm Nikki Haley and I'm running for president."
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Debt ceiling deadline is extended to June 5, later than previously estimated, Yellen says
Charlie Neibergall, Associated Press
Vivek Ramaswamy, Republican
Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and author, launches his 2024 campaign Feb. 21.
“We’re in the middle of a national identity crisis,” his video announcement began. “Faith, patriotism and hard work have disappeared, only to be replaced by new secular religions like Covidism, climatism and gender ideology.”
He has voiced support for changing the overall U.S. voting age to 25, unless younger Americans fulfill at least six months of service in the military or as a first responder — or pass the same citizenship test administered to those seeking to become naturalized citizens.
Charlie Neibergall, Associated Press
Vivek Ramaswamy, Republican
Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and author, launches his 2024 campaign Feb. 21.
“We’re in the middle of a national identity crisis,” his video announcement began. “Faith, patriotism and hard work have disappeared, only to be replaced by new secular religions like Covidism, climatism and gender ideology.”
He has voiced support for changing the overall U.S. voting age to 25, unless younger Americans fulfill at least six months of service in the military or as a first responder — or pass the same citizenship test administered to those seeking to become naturalized citizens.
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Debt ceiling deadline is extended to June 5, later than previously estimated, Yellen says
Jose Luis Magana, Associated Press
Marianne Williamson, Democrat
Self-help author Marianne Williamson, whose 2020 White House campaign featured more quirky calls for spiritual healing than actual voter support, launched another longshot bid for the presidency March 4, becoming the first Democrat to formally challenge President Joe Biden for the 2024 nomination.
“We are upset about this country, we’re worried about this country,” Williamson told a crowd of more than 600 at a kickoff in the nation’s capital. “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.”
Jose Luis Magana, Associated Press
Marianne Williamson, Democrat
Self-help author Marianne Williamson, whose 2020 White House campaign featured more quirky calls for spiritual healing than actual voter support, launched another longshot bid for the presidency March 4, becoming the first Democrat to formally challenge President Joe Biden for the 2024 nomination.
“We are upset about this country, we’re worried about this country,” Williamson told a crowd of more than 600 at a kickoff in the nation’s capital. “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.”
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Debt ceiling deadline is extended to June 5, later than previously estimated, Yellen says
Josh Reynolds, Associated Press
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Democrat
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a member of one of the country’s most famous political families who has in recent years been linked to some far-right figures, kicked off his campaign in Boston on April 19 and likened his campaign to the American revolution.
“My mission over the next 18 months of this campaign and throughout my presidency will be to end the corrupt merger of state and corporate power that is threatening now to impose a new kind of corporate feudalism in our country,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy is a nephew of President John F. Kennedy and the son of his slain brother Robert F. Kennedy.
Josh Reynolds, Associated Press
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Democrat
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a member of one of the country’s most famous political families who has in recent years been linked to some far-right figures, kicked off his campaign in Boston on April 19 and likened his campaign to the American revolution.
“My mission over the next 18 months of this campaign and throughout my presidency will be to end the corrupt merger of state and corporate power that is threatening now to impose a new kind of corporate feudalism in our country,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy is a nephew of President John F. Kennedy and the son of his slain brother Robert F. Kennedy.
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Debt ceiling deadline is extended to June 5, later than previously estimated, Yellen says
Charlie Neibergall, Associated Press
Larry Elder, Republican
Conservative talk radio host Larry Elder, who sought to replace the California governor in a failed 2021 recall effort, announced April 20 he is running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
Elder, 70, made the announcement on Fox News' “Tucker Carlson Tonight” and followed up with a tweet.
“America is in decline, but this decline is not inevitable. We can enter a new American Golden Age, but we must choose a leader who can bring us there. That’s why I’m running for President,” he wrote.
Charlie Neibergall, Associated Press
Larry Elder, Republican
Conservative talk radio host Larry Elder, who sought to replace the California governor in a failed 2021 recall effort, announced April 20 he is running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
Elder, 70, made the announcement on Fox News' “Tucker Carlson Tonight” and followed up with a tweet.
“America is in decline, but this decline is not inevitable. We can enter a new American Golden Age, but we must choose a leader who can bring us there. That’s why I’m running for President,” he wrote.
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Debt ceiling deadline is extended to June 5, later than previously estimated, Yellen says
Evan Vucci, Associated Press
President Joe Biden, Democrat
President Joe Biden on April 25 formally announced that he is running for reelection in 2024, asking voters to give him more time to “finish this job” and extend the run of America’s oldest president for another four years.
Biden, who would be 86 at the end of a second term, is betting his first-term legislative achievements and more than 50 years of experience in Washington will count for more than concerns over his age. He faces a smooth path to winning his party’s nomination, with no serious Democratic challengers. But he’s still set for a hard-fought struggle to retain the presidency in a bitterly divided nation.
Evan Vucci, Associated Press
President Joe Biden, Democrat
President Joe Biden on April 25 formally announced that he is running for reelection in 2024, asking voters to give him more time to “finish this job” and extend the run of America’s oldest president for another four years.
Biden, who would be 86 at the end of a second term, is betting his first-term legislative achievements and more than 50 years of experience in Washington will count for more than concerns over his age. He faces a smooth path to winning his party’s nomination, with no serious Democratic challengers. But he’s still set for a hard-fought struggle to retain the presidency in a bitterly divided nation.
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Debt ceiling deadline is extended to June 5, later than previously estimated, Yellen says
Sue Ogrocki, Associated Press
Asa Hutchinson, Republican
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson formally launched his Republican presidential campaign April 26, pledging to “bring out the best of America” and aiming to draw contrasts with other GOP hopefuls on top issues, including how best to reform federal law enforcement agencies.
Hutchinson kicked off his 2024 bid in his hometown of Bentonville, on the same steps where he launched an unsuccessful U.S. Senate campaign 30 years ago.
“I ran as a conservative Republican when being a Republican was like having a career-ending handicap,” Hutchinson said, adding, “And now, I bring that same vigor to fight another battle, and that battle is for the future of our country and the soul of our party.”
Sue Ogrocki, Associated Press
Asa Hutchinson, Republican
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson formally launched his Republican presidential campaign April 26, pledging to “bring out the best of America” and aiming to draw contrasts with other GOP hopefuls on top issues, including how best to reform federal law enforcement agencies.
Hutchinson kicked off his 2024 bid in his hometown of Bentonville, on the same steps where he launched an unsuccessful U.S. Senate campaign 30 years ago.
“I ran as a conservative Republican when being a Republican was like having a career-ending handicap,” Hutchinson said, adding, “And now, I bring that same vigor to fight another battle, and that battle is for the future of our country and the soul of our party.”
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Debt ceiling deadline is extended to June 5, later than previously estimated, Yellen says
Meg Kinnard, Associated Press
Tim Scott, Republican
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott launched his presidential campaign May 22, offering an optimistic message he hopes can contrast the two figures who have used political combativeness to dominate the early GOP primary field: former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Scott, the Senate's only Black Republican, made the announcement in his hometown of North Charleston at Southern University, his alma mater and a private school affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.
“Our party and our nation are standing at a time for choosing. Victimhood or victory?," he told cheering supporters, adding, "Grievance or greatness?"
Meg Kinnard, Associated Press
Tim Scott, Republican
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott launched his presidential campaign May 22, offering an optimistic message he hopes can contrast the two figures who have used political combativeness to dominate the early GOP primary field: former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Scott, the Senate's only Black Republican, made the announcement in his hometown of North Charleston at Southern University, his alma mater and a private school affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.
“Our party and our nation are standing at a time for choosing. Victimhood or victory?," he told cheering supporters, adding, "Grievance or greatness?"
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Debt ceiling deadline is extended to June 5, later than previously estimated, Yellen says
Paige Dingler, The News & Advance
Ron DeSantis, Republican
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis launched his 2024 presidential campaign May 24 with firm words but a disastrous Twitter announcement.
While he tried to project confidence, DeSantis' unusual decision to announce his campaign in an online conversation with Twitter CEO Elon Musk ultimately backfired. The audio stream crashed repeatedly, making it virtually impossible for most users to hear the new presidential candidate in real time.
“American decline is not inevitable — it is a choice. And we should choose a new direction — a path that will lead to American revitalization,” DeSantis said on the glitchy stream, racing through his conservative accomplishments. “I am running for president of the United States to lead our great American comeback."
Paige Dingler, The News & Advance
Ron DeSantis, Republican
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis launched his 2024 presidential campaign May 24 with firm words but a disastrous Twitter announcement.
While he tried to project confidence, DeSantis' unusual decision to announce his campaign in an online conversation with Twitter CEO Elon Musk ultimately backfired. The audio stream crashed repeatedly, making it virtually impossible for most users to hear the new presidential candidate in real time.
“American decline is not inevitable — it is a choice. And we should choose a new direction — a path that will lead to American revitalization,” DeSantis said on the glitchy stream, racing through his conservative accomplishments. “I am running for president of the United States to lead our great American comeback."
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Justice Department says it won’t charge Pence over handling of classified documents
Charlie Neibergall, Associated Press
Mike Pence, Republican
Former Vice President Mike Pence is filing paperwork to declare his campaign for president in 2024, setting up a historic challenge to his former boss, Donald Trump. Pence, the nation’s 48th vice president, will formally launch his bid for the Republican nomination with a video and kickoff event in Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday, the date of his 64th birthday.
Charlie Neibergall, Associated Press
Mike Pence, Republican
Former Vice President Mike Pence is filing paperwork to declare his campaign for president in 2024, setting up a historic challenge to his former boss, Donald Trump. Pence, the nation’s 48th vice president, will formally launch his bid for the Republican nomination with a video and kickoff event in Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday, the date of his 64th birthday.
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Justice Department says it won’t charge Pence over handling of classified documents
Charles Krupa, Associated Press
Chris Christie, Republican
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie wasted no time going after Donald Trump while launching his presidential campaign June 6, calling the former president and current Republican primary front-runner a “lonely, self-consumed, self-serving mirror hog" and arguing that he's the only one who can stop him.
Kicking off his campaign with a town hall at Saint Anselm College, Christie suggested that other top Republicans have been afraid to challenge Trump or even mention his name much while campaigning — but made it clear he had no such qualms.
Charles Krupa, Associated Press
Chris Christie, Republican
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie wasted no time going after Donald Trump while launching his presidential campaign June 6, calling the former president and current Republican primary front-runner a “lonely, self-consumed, self-serving mirror hog" and arguing that he's the only one who can stop him.
Kicking off his campaign with a town hall at Saint Anselm College, Christie suggested that other top Republicans have been afraid to challenge Trump or even mention his name much while campaigning — but made it clear he had no such qualms.
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Justice Department says it won’t charge Pence over handling of classified documents
Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune
Doug Burgum, Republican
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has announced his candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Burgum, 66, made the announcement in the The Wall Street Journal and was expected to kick off his campaign Wednesday in the city of Fargo, where he lives and which is near the tiny farm town of Arthur, where he grew up.
Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune
Doug Burgum, Republican
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has announced his candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Burgum, 66, made the announcement in the The Wall Street Journal and was expected to kick off his campaign Wednesday in the city of Fargo, where he lives and which is near the tiny farm town of Arthur, where he grew up.
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Justice Department says it won’t charge Pence over handling of classified documents
AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination June 1,5 jumping into the crowded race just days after GOP front-runner Donald Trump appeared in court on federal charges in Suarez's city.
The 45-year-old mayor is the only Hispanic candidate in the race. He has gained national attention in recent years for his efforts to lure companies to Miami, with an eye toward turning the city into a crypto hub and the next Silicon Valley.
Suarez, who is married with two young children, is a corporate and real estate attorney who previously served as a city of Miami commissioner. He has also positioned himself as someone who can help the party further connect with Hispanics. In recent months, he has made visits to early GOP voting states as he weighed a possible 2024 campaign.
AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination June 1,5 jumping into the crowded race just days after GOP front-runner Donald Trump appeared in court on federal charges in Suarez's city.
The 45-year-old mayor is the only Hispanic candidate in the race. He has gained national attention in recent years for his efforts to lure companies to Miami, with an eye toward turning the city into a crypto hub and the next Silicon Valley.
Suarez, who is married with two young children, is a corporate and real estate attorney who previously served as a city of Miami commissioner. He has also positioned himself as someone who can help the party further connect with Hispanics. In recent months, he has made visits to early GOP voting states as he weighed a possible 2024 campaign.
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What to know about Hunter Biden’s plea deal in federal tax and gun case
Charlie Neibergall, Associated Press
Will Hurd, Republican
Former Texas congressman Will Hurd, a onetime CIA officer and fierce critic of Donald Trump, announced June 22 that he's running for president, hoping to build momentum as a more moderate alternative to the Republican primary field's early front-runner.
Hurd, who made the announcement on CBS, served three terms in the House through January 2021, becoming the chamber’s only Black Republican during his final two years in office.
Hurd said in a video launching his White House bid that the “soul of our country is under attack," reminiscent of Democrat Joe Biden's slogan about the 2020 race being a "battle for the soul of the nation."
Charlie Neibergall, Associated Press
Will Hurd, Republican
Former Texas congressman Will Hurd, a onetime CIA officer and fierce critic of Donald Trump, announced June 22 that he's running for president, hoping to build momentum as a more moderate alternative to the Republican primary field's early front-runner.
Hurd, who made the announcement on CBS, served three terms in the House through January 2021, becoming the chamber’s only Black Republican during his final two years in office.
Hurd said in a video launching his White House bid that the “soul of our country is under attack," reminiscent of Democrat Joe Biden's slogan about the 2020 race being a "battle for the soul of the nation."
