• Former US president Donald Trump was the first Republican to officially announce his bid for the 2024 election. Reuters
    Former US president Donald Trump was the first Republican to officially announce his bid for the 2024 election. Reuters
  • Nikki Haley put her name in for the Republican Party nomination in February. AP
    Nikki Haley put her name in for the Republican Party nomination in February. AP
  • Ms Haley had originally vowed not to stand in the way if Mr Trump was running for president, but became the first major Republican candidate to enter the race against him. AP
    Ms Haley had originally vowed not to stand in the way if Mr Trump was running for president, but became the first major Republican candidate to enter the race against him. AP
  • Co-founder and executive chairman of Strive Asset Management Vivek Ramaswamy said he'd step down to pursue the Republican nomination. EPA
    Co-founder and executive chairman of Strive Asset Management Vivek Ramaswamy said he'd step down to pursue the Republican nomination. EPA
  • Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, said he intended to run for president again after his failed attempt in 2020. Reuters
    Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, said he intended to run for president again after his failed attempt in 2020. Reuters
  • Sixteen months after the US Capitol was sacked by a pro-Trump mob chanting 'hang Mike Pence', the target of that fury is making nice with far-right Republicans. AFP
    Sixteen months after the US Capitol was sacked by a pro-Trump mob chanting 'hang Mike Pence', the target of that fury is making nice with far-right Republicans. AFP
  • Mr Pence has begun setting aside years of unswerving loyalty to Mr Trump and is showing a newly defiant, independent side as it looks increasingly likely that he will make a bid for the White House. AFP
    Mr Pence has begun setting aside years of unswerving loyalty to Mr Trump and is showing a newly defiant, independent side as it looks increasingly likely that he will make a bid for the White House. AFP
  • Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to announce his candidacy for president in the coming weeks or months. AFP
    Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to announce his candidacy for president in the coming weeks or months. AFP
  • Mr Trump faces an increasingly serious challenge in Mr DeSantis, who is ranking high in 2024 polls. AP
    Mr Trump faces an increasingly serious challenge in Mr DeSantis, who is ranking high in 2024 polls. AP
  • Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina is gauging voter support to explore a presidential campaign. AP
    Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina is gauging voter support to explore a presidential campaign. AP
  • Former US national security adviser John Bolton told The National that he is 'considering running'. AP
    Former US national security adviser John Bolton told The National that he is 'considering running'. AP

2024 presidential race: Which Republicans are running so far?


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The US is just over a year away from the next presidential election and several Republicans, including former president Donald Trump, have thrown their hats into the ring.

The race for the Republican Party's nomination is shaping up to be a crowded one, although Mr Trump remains the flyaway frontrunner.

The party has already had its first debate event, but without the former president who instead opted for a solo interview.

President Joe Biden has officially announced his re-election bid. The 80-year-old Democrat faces few serious challengers, although his age is a top concern among voters.

Here, The National takes a look at which Republicans are running and who might join later on.

Donald Trump

  • This photo taken on January 6, 2021, shows Trump supporters battling with police and security forces as they storm the US Capitol building in Washington. AFP
    This photo taken on January 6, 2021, shows Trump supporters battling with police and security forces as they storm the US Capitol building in Washington. AFP
  • A US House of Representatives committee has been investigating the events of January 6 and what role former US president Donald Trump played. EPA / Pool
    A US House of Representatives committee has been investigating the events of January 6 and what role former US president Donald Trump played. EPA / Pool
  • Reports surfaced earlier this year that Mr Trump took classified government documents with him to his private residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. AP
    Reports surfaced earlier this year that Mr Trump took classified government documents with him to his private residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. AP
  • Mr Trump's private residence in Mar-a-Lago. Getty Images / AFP
    Mr Trump's private residence in Mar-a-Lago. Getty Images / AFP
  • Mr Trump launched his own social media site, Truth Social, following his ban from Twitter. Here, he airs grievances against Tesla head Elon Musk, who had said it was time for the former president to 'sail into the sunset'. Screengrab / Truth Social
    Mr Trump launched his own social media site, Truth Social, following his ban from Twitter. Here, he airs grievances against Tesla head Elon Musk, who had said it was time for the former president to 'sail into the sunset'. Screengrab / Truth Social
  • New York state Attorney General Letitia James says a more than three-year investigation has found evidence that the Trump Organisation misstated asset valuations to get favourable loans and tax breaks. AP
    New York state Attorney General Letitia James says a more than three-year investigation has found evidence that the Trump Organisation misstated asset valuations to get favourable loans and tax breaks. AP
  • Mr Trump and his family attend the funeral of his first wife, Ivana, in New York City. Reuters
    Mr Trump and his family attend the funeral of his first wife, Ivana, in New York City. Reuters
  • Mr Trump has endorsed a number of candidates for various offices since leaving office, including Joe Kent of Washington who is challenging Jaime Herrera Beutler for a House of Representatives seat. Here, Mr Kent speaks in support of people who took part in the January 6 insurrection. AP
    Mr Trump has endorsed a number of candidates for various offices since leaving office, including Joe Kent of Washington who is challenging Jaime Herrera Beutler for a House of Representatives seat. Here, Mr Kent speaks in support of people who took part in the January 6 insurrection. AP
  • Mr Trump prepares to speak at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona. AP
    Mr Trump prepares to speak at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona. AP
  • Georgia state senator Burt Jones prepares to speak during a rally held by Mr Trump in Commerce, Georgia. Reuters
    Georgia state senator Burt Jones prepares to speak during a rally held by Mr Trump in Commerce, Georgia. Reuters
  • Mr Trump speaks at a Save America rally in Prescott, Arizona. AP
    Mr Trump speaks at a Save America rally in Prescott, Arizona. AP
  • A man poses for a photo before a Trump rally in Pennsylvania. Reuters
    A man poses for a photo before a Trump rally in Pennsylvania. Reuters
  • Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate Dr Mehmet Oz, who is backed by Mr Trump, speaks during a rally in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Reuters
    Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate Dr Mehmet Oz, who is backed by Mr Trump, speaks during a rally in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Reuters

The former US president announced his third bid for the White House in November after midterm elections in which many pro-Trump candidates lost, leading Republicans to wonder about his future in the party.

Mr Trump is embroiled in four federal and state-level criminal cases, and must juggle campaign events with an increasingly complicated legal calendar.

The felony prosecutions, and even a conviction, do not prevent him from running.

He lost to Mr Biden in 2020, in a race he continues to falsely claim was stolen from him.

If Mr Trump is selected to run against Mr Biden, it would be the first US presidential rematch since 1956.

Ron DeSantis

The Florida Governor officially launched his campaign for the Republican party's nomination in May, during a bungled Twitter Spaces event.

He had originally been seen as a serious challenger to Mr Trump, occasionally polling high against the former president, but recent months have seen his popularity fall.

Mr DeSantis is probably best known for his hardline stance on illegal immigration and his campaign against “wokeness”, which has attracted national attention, and brought travel advisories against the south-eastern state.

Vivek Ramaswamy

The anti-environment activist, investor and businessman said in February that he would enter the race. He drew a lot of attention in the first party debate in Milwaukee.

Mr Ramaswamy, who is of Indian descent, stepped down as executive chairman of Strive Asset Management to pursue the Republican nomination.

Nikki Haley

Ms Haley, a former US ambassador to the UN and governor of South Carolina, formally joined the campaign field in February, despite saying she would not run against her former boss, Mr Trump.

“I'm a grateful American citizen who knows our best days are yet to come if we unite and fight to save our country,” she said at her campaign launch event.

If elected, Ms Haley would become the first female president and the first of Indian descent.

Mike Pence

The former vice president filed official papers for his presidential campaign in June, gearing up for a national fight against his former boss.

Mr Pence has offered only limited criticism of Mr Trump, fearful of a backlash from the former president's loyal base.

Mr Trump had asked his deputy to overturn the results of the 2020 election on January 6, 2021, but Mr Pence refused.

“The American people deserve to know that the president ... asked me to put him over the Constitution and I chose the Constitution,” Mr Pence said.

Chris Christie

A former governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, was an adviser during Mr Trump's campaign in 2016, and a federal prosecutor.

He has spoken about how his experience makes him a strong candidate against the former president.

He was one of two people at the Republican debate to say they would not support Mr Trump as Republican nominee if he is convicted.

“Someone's got to stop normalising this conduct,” Mr Christie said. “Whether or not you believe that the criminal charges are right or wrong, the conduct is beneath the office of president of the United States.”

Tim Scott

Currently a senator for South Carolina, Mr Scott filed for his presidential run in May, after attending a presidential forum and launching an exploratory committee.

He is the only black Republican in the Senate.

Asa Hutchinson

A former governor of Arkansas, Asa Hutchinson has announced he is going to run for presidency.

“I’ve travelled the country for six months,” he said. “I hear people talk about the leadership of our country.

“I’m convinced that people want leaders that appeal to the best of America, and not simply appeal to our worst instincts.”

Mr Hutchinson has worked in US federal government as head of the Drug Enforcement Administration and an undersecretary of the Department of Homeland Security under former president George W Bush's administration.

Larry Elder

The radio host threw his name into the ring during an appearance on Fox News, less than two years after a failed campaign to replace California Governor Gavin Newsom in a recall election.

“We can enter a new American Golden Age, but we must choose a leader who can bring us there. That’s why I’m running for president,” Mr Elder told Tucker Carlson in April.

Perry Johnson

Businessman Perry Johnson announced his presidential campaign while at the Conservative Political Action Conference in March.

He does not have any experience in elected government work, but failed in a bid to run for Michigan governor in 2022. He was found to have filed fraudulent signatures for his candidacy.

Doug Burgum

Former businessman and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum announced his long-shot campaign in June, proclaiming his "small-town values" can help lead the US in a better direction.

Will Hurd

Will Hurd, a one-time CIA officer and former US representative for Texas, launched his campaign as a moderate Republican in June. He served in the House of Representatives until January 2021.

Ryan Binkley

Texas pastor and chief executive Ryan Binkley launched his long-shot bid in April on a campaign based on "peace, safety, security and care".

Ye

Despite releasing a video announcing his bid, the disgraced artist formerly known as Kanye West has not filed the required paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to formally start a presidential campaign as an independent.

Ye's business partnerships disintegrated after he made a series of anti-Semitic comments.

He ran for president in 2020 but only received 60,000 votes in 12 states.

John Bolton

Mr Bolton served as Mr Trump's national security adviser, but the two had a very public falling out, with the former president calling him a warmonger.

He described Mr Trump as “juvenile”, and such is his disdain for his former boss that he is running against him in the 2024 presidential elections.

“I'm considering running. And I was prompted to do so because of the comments that Trump made about terminating the Constitution so that he could be declared the winner of the 2020 election,” Mr Bolton told The National.

Francis Suarez

The Miami mayor became the third candidate from Florida to join the Republican field in June.

He suspended his campaign in late August after not qualifying for the first party debate, making him the first candidate to drop out of the race.

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Retirement funds heavily invested in equities at a risky time

Pension funds in growing economies in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East have a sharply higher percentage of assets parked in stocks, just at a time when trade tensions threaten to derail markets.

Retirement money managers in 14 geographies now allocate 40 per cent of their assets to equities, an 8 percentage-point climb over the past five years, according to a Mercer survey released last week that canvassed government, corporate and mandatory pension funds with almost $5 trillion in assets under management. That compares with about 25 per cent for pension funds in Europe.

The escalating trade spat between the US and China has heightened fears that stocks are ripe for a downturn. With tensions mounting and outcomes driven more by politics than economics, the S&P 500 Index will be on course for a “full-scale bear market” without Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts, Citigroup’s global macro strategy team said earlier this week.

The increased allocation to equities by growth-market pension funds has come at the expense of fixed-income investments, which declined 11 percentage points over the five years, according to the survey.

Hong Kong funds have the highest exposure to equities at 66 per cent, although that’s been relatively stable over the period. Japan’s equity allocation jumped 13 percentage points while South Korea’s increased 8 percentage points.

The money managers are also directing a higher portion of their funds to assets outside of their home countries. On average, foreign stocks now account for 49 per cent of respondents’ equity investments, 4 percentage points higher than five years ago, while foreign fixed-income exposure climbed 7 percentage points to 23 per cent. Funds in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan are among those seeking greater diversification in stocks and fixed income.

• Bloomberg

Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

While you're here
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners

Cryptocurrency Investing  for Dummies – by Kiana Danial 

There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine. 

Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.

Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this  book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.

Begin your cryptocurrency journey here. 

Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104 

The specs

Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder

Power: 220 and 280 horsepower

Torque: 350 and 360Nm

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT 

On sale: now

Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?

The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.

The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.

He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.

He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.

He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

SERIE A FIXTURES

Saturday Benevento v Atalanta (2pm), Genoa v Bologna (5pm), AC Milan v Torino (7.45pm)

Sunday Roma v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Udinese v Napoli, Hellas Verona v Crotone, Parma v Lazio (2pm), Fiorentina v Cagliari (9pm), Juventus v Sassuolo (11.45pm)

Monday Spezia v Sampdoria (11.45pm)

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Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

UAE-based players

Goodlands Riders: Jamshaid Butt, Ali Abid, JD Mahesh, Vibhor Shahi, Faizan Asif, Nadeem Rahim

Rose Hill Warriors: Faraz Sheikh, Ashok Kumar, Thabreez Ali, Janaka Chathuranga, Muzammil Afridi, Ameer Hamza

The Penguin

Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz

Creator: Lauren LeFranc

Rating: 4/5

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

Company Profile:

Name: The Protein Bakeshop

Date of start: 2013

Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani

Based: Dubai

Size, number of employees: 12

Funding/investors:  $400,000 (2018) 

The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

Updated: August 30, 2023, 12:32 AM