Ron DeSantis drops out: Who is still in the Republican Party presidential race?
Just two candidates remain on the eve of the first Republican primary meeting in New Hampshire as Ron DeSantis pulls out.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is the latest candidate for the Republican presidential nomination to drop out. He had dominated discussions in early days of campaigning, at one stage polling nearly level with frontrunner Donald Trump, before dropping off quite drastically.
“Nobody worked harder, and we left it all out on the field,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis said he was endorsing Trump because it had “become clear” that “a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance”.
Which candidates still remain in the race?
Following DeSantis’ departure, the list of Republicans seeking Party selection is down to just two candidates, who are as follows:
Donald Trump
Former president Donald Trump commands a huge polling lead over his rivals. As of 15 January, Trump boasts 63.1% support of Republican voters and claimed more than 51% of the votes in the Iowa caucus..
Nikki Haley
The former Governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley, announced her candidacy for the 2023 Republican presidential nomination in mid-February. It is now a straight race between Haley and Trump but she will need something special to overturn Trump’s dominance.