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The 2020 Presidential election season is rapidly approaching. Despite low approval ratings, President Donald Trump is running for re-election. Many Progressive Democrats are planning campaigns. Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz may run as a centrist independent. On that note, will Trump stand alone in the race for the Republican nominee?

Potential Republican Nominees

No one has officially announced a bid to challenge Trump for the Republican nominee in 2020. However, a few notable party members seem to be toying with the idea.

Governor Larry Hogan is likely to challenge the sitting President. Hogan is a cancer survivor and known as the second most popular Governor in the country. He was re-elected by a heavy majority in the blue state of Maryland. Hogan is also vice chair of the National Governor’s Association.

Bill Kristol claims that Hogan has opened the door to a run for President with recent speeches that renounce divisive politics. Kristol is a well-known conservative political commentator and a fierce critic of Trump. However, Kristol has also stated that he is considering a run for the Presidency. As a commentator and former chief of staff to VP Dan Quayle, he may have the executive experience and base to pull off a primary run.

When asked about a run for the Presidency, former Tennessee Senator Bob Corker simply stated: “I haven’t ruled it out.” Corker is also a repetitive critique of Trump, which is likely what lead to his decision not to run for Senate re-election in 2018.

Former 2016 Republican Nominees

John Kasich of Ohio and Chris Christie of New Jersey, have also touted the possibility of running for the GOP nomination. Both are have held governor office and ran against Trump for the Republican nomination in 2016.

Kasich recently joined CNN as a political commentator, energizing the belief that he stands firmly against Trump. He has stated that he could run either as a Republican or an independent. On Monday, Kasich’s staff team sent out a fundraising email. The email stated that Kasich is “keeping all options on the table” for a 2020 run. Kasich was one of the final three Republicans left in the 2016 Primary along with Senator Ted Cruz and obviously Trump.

Christie will soon release a book about his time in the White House, titled Let Me Finish: Trump, The Kushners, Bannon, New Jersey and the Power of In-Your-Face Politics. He recently told a crowd in Indian Wells, California regarding a 2020 run, “Never say never.”

Even Bill Weld, the former Governor of Massachusetts and 2016 Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee, has considered taking on Trump. Weld received an invitation to speak a “politics and eggs” event in New Hampshire. It is organized by the New England Council and Saint Anselm College. The event is regarded as a key event for Presidential hopefuls. Weld is supposedly open to running either for the Republican or Libertarian nomination.

Who Is Not Running?

Many of the key leaders in the GOP have outright denied the idea of a campaign, as well as endorsed the current president. This list includes some of 2016’s primary candidates.

Some Republicans, such as Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, and many others, have endorsed Donald Trump. Rubio stated that “The president’s going to be the nominee for the Republican Party,”.

Rumors have risen that Vice President Mike Pence would replace Trump as the 2020 nominee. Both the Trump campaign and Pence have vehemently denied such claims. Pence responded to a report from The New York Times that entertained such speculation. He stated that the notion, as well as the report, were “disgraceful and offensive.”

Former Arizona Senator Jeff Flake decided not to run for Senate re-election in 2018. He recently joined CBS News as a Contributor. He used the formal announcement of his new position to rule himself out as a challenger to the President.

“I do hope that there is a Republican who challenges the president in the primary,” he said. “I still hope that somebody does, but that somebody won’t be me.”

With no official challengers for the Republican nominee yet and a continuously growing list of diverse of Democrats who have announced their campaigns, the 2020 election season could be a rough one for the Republicans.

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