With only 9 weeks to go until the first votes are cast in the 2020 Republican Presidential Primaries, President Donald Trump remains a commanding front-runner in the increasingly shrinking field. Polls show that Trump is consistently at or near the top of the preferred candidate list in almost every state. Trump also has a wide lead in delegates, having secured the support of nearly half of the RNC’s patient members.
The narrowing Republican field is reflective of the fact that many of the Republican challengers to President Trump have bowed out of the race. This includes former Massachusetts governor Bill Weld, former South Carolina governor Mark Sanford, and former Illinois congressman Joe Walsh.
However, there are still some challengers attempting to mount a challenge to the President. Former U.S. Representative and current South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg and former U.S. Congressman Joe Walsh have yet to drop out of the race. Additionally, former U.S. Representative and current Maryland governor Larry Hogan recently added his name to the candidate list.
Despite President Trump’s consistent lead in the polls, there are still a number of potential scenarios that might disrupt his standing as the presumptive nominee. Some of the wild cards include the potential for a competent challenger to come from the left or a “dark horse” candidate that may emerge out of nowhere.
Given the fact that the first votes are still 9 weeks away, it’s difficult to predict what the political landscape could look like come primary day. But with President Trump leading in the polls and having a firm grasp on the delegates, the President appears to be in a strong position to secure the GOP nomination.
