At first glance the Republican presidential campaign is shaping up to be bizarrely normal. In a deeper sense, however, it is profoundly bizarre. Of course the reason is former President Donald Trump.
Start with how normal it is. There’s the frontrunner who has already declared, and held his first public events of the year last weekend. Then there are several unofficial candidates. Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, who has the most traction in the polls so far and support in Republican-aligned media, is gearing up. So are former Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former Governor Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas and former Vice President Mike Pence. Several others, including Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia, Governor Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, have been visited by the Great Mentioner.
In the 2016 campaign, Cruz announced on March 23, 2015, followed in April by two more of the eventual 17 candidates. Democrats were a bit quicker in 2020 — former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro, Senator Kamala Harris of California, and three minor candidates had officially announced by February 2019 — but most of the 29 (!) candidates waited until later.
