A plethora of candidates are already gearing up for the 2024 presidential election

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The New York Times

The 10 major candidates who have confirmed that they are running for president in 2024.

United States presidential elections are like no other—they’ve become a worldwide spectacle and somewhat of a reality series for American and international viewers. As every voter knows, American presidential elections happen every four years, but the intensity and interest are essentially continuous. From election fraud and interference claims post-election to the intensity of candidates and debates before the ballots are cast, heated conversation regarding the presidential election is constantly at the forefront of the news.

However, since the 2024 presidential election is just under a year and a half away, the conversation surrounding the impending election is more prevalent than ever, especially with so many beginning to announce their candidacy.

For starters, much to the dismay of democrats and republicans alike, current president Joe Biden will be running again for his second consecutive term. Only about 26% of U.S. adults want Biden to run again, and that includes 52% of Democrats. These findings, which were discovered through a poll conducted by the Associated Press, seem to spell misfortune for Biden. Despite this, Biden’s turnout will likely far exceed the approval rates—similarly to the 2020 election, many will vote for Biden because he is the only strong Democratic candidate.

Behind Biden, who is the frontrunner, there are two other major candidates in the Democratic Party who are running for president. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nephew of former president John F. Kennedy, is also running for president under this party. However, many of his philosophies, such as health-related conspiracy theories make him an unattractive candidate in spite of his well-known name.

Along with Kennedy, Marianne Williamson has also been declared a major candidate for the Democratic Party. Prior to 2019, Williamson identified as an independent, likely because of her strong spiritual practices. On the other hand, despite her unsuccessful attempts to secure a seat in the House of Representatives for California’s 33rd Congressional District in the past, Williamson now aligns herself as a progressive Democrat and abides by many popular party beliefs.

In contrast, the Republican Party has a much more divided demographic with several big names involved. Predictably, one of the most controversial candidates is former president Donald Trump. After many questionable acts and legal trouble, as well as his four years of candidacy, Trump has garnered plenty of attention, both positive and negative, leaving him to be one of the greatest divisors of the Republican Party.

Interestingly enough, though he has not yet declared his candidacy, former vice president to Trump, Mike Pence, is pending in his decision to run for president against his former partner. After the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, at the nation’s capital, it is no surprise that there is bad blood between the two since many of the attacks allegedly encouraged by Trump were aimed at Pence.

Currently, the cast of candidates for president in 2024 is varied and rather unusual, but there is still over a year until the election.

As far as official major candidates go, though, there are many more leading figures. One of the other hotly debated candidates, Ron DeSantis, who is currently the governor of Florida, recently announced that he would be running for president in 2024. As one of the most discussed governors, the Republican was endorsed by Trump in 2019 when he was elected at the gubernatorial level. His far-right policies and quick action to reopen Florida after COVID-19 struck make him a popular candidate among those further right on the political spectrum.

There are several other Republican major candidates whose names are slightly less topical than those previously mentioned; nonetheless, their names could be on the ballot in just over a year. This group includes Larry Elder, who is a conservative talk show host, and Nikki Haley, who is the former governor of South Carolina and was previously the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Others running are Asa Hutchinson, who is the former governor of Arkansas, Vivek Ramaswamy, who is a businessman and author, and Tim Scott, who is a South Carolina senator.

Currently, the cast of candidates for president in 2024 is varied and rather unusual, but there is still over a year until the election. More may announce their candidacy in the coming months, and new voters will take to the polls as they turn 18, leaving the results absolutely unpredictable for the time being.