On Politics

Mon Jul 17 2023

Marina Pitofsky | NOW reporter

Hi there, OnPolitics readers! Former President Donald Trump has long led the crowded field of Republican candidates hoping to win the GOP nomination in the 2024 race for the White House.

But that doesn't mean Trump's Republican rivals don't have their own strategies to catch up to the former president, USA TODAY's David Jackson reports.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has a simple argument for voters: only he and Trump have the money, organization and supporters needed to win the GOP nomination.

Former Vice President Mike Pence is casting himself as the conservative of the group, putting a big emphasis in Iowa, where evangelical voters hold sway.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is the Trump attack dog. He's targeting the former president over his legal battles, but also accusing Trump of being "a liar and a coward."

Who else is running? Two candidates from South Carolina, former Gov. Nikki Haley and Sen. Tim Scott, are both trying to cast themselves as the leader of a new generation of Republican lawmakers.

Keep reading: Donald Trump has a big lead for the GOP nomination. Can DeSantis, Pence or anyone else catch him?

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'Room for mischief': Can Trump delay trials until after Election Day?

In this courtroom sketch, attorney Todd Blanche stands as he enters a plea of not guilty on behalf of former President Donald Trump, second from right, in federal court, Tuesday, June 13, 2023, in Miami. From left are: Stanley Woodward, Walt Nauta, Blanche, Trump and Chris Kise.

Right now, the odds say that Trump will face at least one jury of his peers before the general election of Nov. 5, 2024 - but maybe not before Republican primary voters decide who their presidential nominee will be, a prize that could be claimed in early March.

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