As the 60th election in United States history approaches on 5th November 2024, the American people find themselves in a critical situation to select a new president. The task of electing the U.S. president is no simple matter. Biden’s controversies, given the high-stakes nature of this decision and its profound impact on the nation’s future and even global politics.
So, being aware of the potential candidates, their background, and their agenda are essential to make an informed decision about who to vote for. Thus, this article provides a comprehensive overview of the candidates, elucidating their political views, policies, and visions for the future. It empowers readers to partake in the democratic process with knowledge and conviction.
Complete Overview of U.S. Presidential Election 2024 Candidates
Knowing their categories is essential to overview the U.S. Presidential Election 2024 Candidates. The candidates can be divided into Democratic candidates, Republican candidates, and Third-party or independent candidates. So let’s see the candidates in each category –
Democratic Candidates:
There are two candidates in the list of Democratic candidates – Joe Biden and Marianne Williamson, so let’s overview them –
1. Joe Biden:
President Joe Biden is heading for a second term as the Democratic candidate. He declared his candidacy for the next election on April 15, 2023, and asked Americans to support him to ‘finish the job’ and help him complete his agenda.
Campaign positions:
Biden announced in his campaign that he would continue to fight for his democracy and against Maga extremes. He highlights his work for creating new jobs and the
Process of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. Also, he works for climate change or negotiating medicare drug prices in the Inflation Reduction Act. He promises to make accessible and protect Social Security and Medicare. He also works to codify the right to abortion, ban assault weapons, and support voting rights. He pledged to offer aid and support to Ukraine to prevent Russian aggression. He also implemented a billionaire minimum tax to ensure that the wealthiest and largest corporations pay their fair share.
Biography
Joe Biden was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Later, he moved to Claymont, Delaware, with his family. He graduated from the University of Delaware with a history and political science degree and secured a law degree from the Syracuse University Law School.
He was elected to the United States Senate in 1972 and served two terms before being defeated in the 1987 election. He also ran presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2020.
2. Marianne Williamson:
Marianne Williamson is an author by profession and declared campaign on March 4, 2023. She also ran a Democratic candidate for President in 2020.
Biography:
Marianne Williamson was born in 1952 and brought up in Houston, Texas. She went to Pomona College in California for only two years. She became an author early after reading the book ‘A Course in Miracles’ and lecturing on the reader throughout the 1980s.
Her legendary work is to found a project called ‘Angel Food,’ where she provides food for the AIDs affected people in Los Angeles. At the start of her presidential campaign, Williamson had written 13 books, which included four best sellers on the New York Times list. Additionally, she has been invited as a guest on famous television shows like The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, and Real Time With Bill Maher.
Campaign Positions:
Williamson ran a campaign for the U.S. President in 2020 but remained unsuccessful. To stop the gun violence epidemic, she will work to pass comprehensive gun control legislation and measures to manage the root causes of gun violence, such as mental health treatment and community engagement.
She will also start a revolutionizing work by reaching 100 percent renewable energy and dramatically reducing CO2 (carbon) emissions by 2035 or earlier.
Republican candidates:
There are a total of 12 Republic candidates who stand for President in 2024:- Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Ryan Binkley, Doug Burgum, Chris Christie, Larry Elder, Asa Hutchinson, Perry Johnson, Mike Pence, Vivek Ramaswamy and Tim Scott. Let’s check their background and campaign positions.
1. Ron DeSantis:
Ron DeSantis stands as a strong candidate for the U.S. Presidential Election 2024. He is a big name in Florida politics, serving as state governor since 2019. He declared his candidacy on May 24, 2023.
Campaign positions:
As the governor of Florida, Ron has been considered a strong competitor for Tramp. He also remarks or is praised for handling the pandemic and his approach to issues such as immigration and LGBTQ rights.
He pledges to decrease government expenditures and inflation, enhance security at the U.S.-Mexico border, back funding for law enforcement, and diminish the administrative state’s power. In addition, he pledges his support for the six-week abortion
ban that he enacted in his state, which allows for exceptions in cases of rape and incest up to 15 weeks.
DeSantis strengthens his promises: “In Florida, we proved it could be done. We chose facts over fear, education over indoctrination, and law and order over rioting and disorder. We held the line.”
Biography:
DeSantis was born in Jacksonville and is a resident of Tallahassee, FL. He completed his graduation from Dunedin High School and Completed graduation magna cum laude from Yale in 2001. He also worked as a history teacher for a year, then went to attend Harvard Law School and completed graduation with a Juris Doctor cum laude in 2005.
Before becoming governor in 2018, DeSantis served as a federal prosecutor. He was selected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012, representing Florida’s 6th
Congressional District. In 2015, DeSantis declared his intention to run for the Senate seat.
2. Donald Trump:
Donald Trump is the 45th President of the United States. He declared his candidacy for the 2024 U.S. President on November 15, 2022.
Campaign Position:
Former president Trump is the first candidate to declare his candidacy for the 2024 U.S. presidential election on November 15, 2022.
Trump has presented his campaign as a revival of his America First agenda, highlighting the differences between his administration and the Biden administration. He claimed, “We are a failing nation. For millions of Americans, the past two years under Joe Biden have been a time of pain, hardship, anxiety, and despair”.
Trump promises to make significant changes to U.S. policies, including pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, and implementing the First Step Act in 2018. Additionally, he focused on reducing the size of ISIS and creating the Space Force as a separate military branch.
Additionally, he issued an executive order directing federal agencies to discontinue all initiatives advocating sex and gender transition at any age. Furthermore, he intends to penalize medical professionals who offer gender-affirming treatment to individuals under the age of majority.
Biography:
Trump was born in Queens, NY, and is now a Palm Beach, FL, resident. He completed his B.S. in economics in 1968 from the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania.
After graduation, Trump became a part of his family’s business, Elizabeth Trump & Son. In 1971, he assumed the company’s leadership and renamed it the ‘Trump Organization.’ He was also involved in various real estate and other business ventures in the following years.
He has repeatedly declared his presidential campaign in 2000, 2016, and 2020. But in 2000, he withdrew from this role for some reason and was reelected as the 45th president of the United States in 2016 and defected Hillary Clinton with 304 electoral votes. However, Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election on November 3, 2020, as He got 306 electoral votes, while Trump got 232.
3. Nikki Haley:
Nikki Haley, the ex-governor of South Carolina and former ambassador to the United Nations beneath the Trump governance, is now running against her former boss for the Republican nomination. She declared her candidacy for the 2024 presidential election on February 14, 2023, and can be a strong competitor in the U.S. Presidential Election Race.
Campaign Position:
Haley’s campaign concerns foreign policy, the economy, and immigration. She wants the U.S. to provide financial aid to Israel and Ukraine, stop congressional earmarks and reduce inflation, and make it mandatory to use E-Verify.
She also initiated the “Remain in Mexico” policy for asylum-seekers during the Trump administration. She advocated for ending sanctuary cities and working on increasing the number of Border Patrol and ICE agents. Additionally, she expressed her support for implementing term limits for members of Congress and requiring politicians over the age of 75 to undergo compulsory mental competency tests.
Biography:
Haley was born in Bamberg, South Carolina, on January 20, 1972. Her parents, Dr. Ajit Singh Randhawa and Raj Kaur Randhawa, immigrated from Punjab, India. She completed her graduation from Orangeburg Preparatory School and received a B.S. in accounting from Clemson University in 1994.
After finishing college, Haley worked at FCR Corporation, a waste management and recycling company. Later, She joined her family’s clothing business and became the chief financial officer.
Haley joined the Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce board of directors in 1998. In 2003, she also joined the Lexington Chamber of Commerce. That same year, she became the National Association of Women Business Owners treasurer and later became its President in 2004.
Haley released her autobiography, Can’t Is Not an Option 2012. The book delves into her journey, highlighting her upbringing and the challenges she faced, including instances of child abuse. In 2019, she published With All Due Respect: Defending America with Grit and Grace, a book documenting her tenure as the United Nations Ambassador.
4. Ryan Binkley:
Ryan Binkley is a businessman and the pastor of a Texas church. On April 23, 2023, he officially declared to run a presidential campaign in the 2024 election. He has never held or run for elected office before.
Campaign Position:
Binkley’s campaign centers on cutting the national debt, lowering healthcare costs, strengthening border security, simplifying legal immigration, balancing the federal budget, and promoting community involvement in education.
In his campaign, he emphasized the importance of unity. He says in his campaign, “The problems we face, and the blame we lay, can all be rectified if we look to God, find the good in our fellow Americans, and resolve to trust each other one more time.”
Biography:
Binkley was born in Columbus, Georgia. Before settling in McKinney, Texas, he spent his childhood in Dallas and Plano. He completed his bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing from the Texas McCombs School of Business in 1990 and a master’s in business administration and management from Southern Methodist University in 2005.
Binkley started his career at Proctor & Gamble and the Boston Scientific Corporation. He founded Create Church in Richardson, Texas, in 2014 and was the lead pastor.
5. Doug Burgum
Doug Burgum became the governor of North Dakota on December 15, 2016. His term will continue until December 15, 2024. He announced his candidacy for President of the United States on June 7, 2023.
Campaign position:
Burgum also ran in the last election on November 3, 2020, alongside Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford. He approached to sign laws that made it harder to get an abortion, limited healthcare for transgender minors, and promised large amounts of tax cuts. He sold his company to Microsoft for over $1 billion, making him very rich. He decided to use some of that money to fund his campaign. This was a big decision because it made him recognized by many people.
Biography:
Burgum was born in Arthur, North Dakota, on August 1, 1956. He completed his bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State University in 1978 and an MBA from Stanford University in 1980.
Later, Burgum started working as a consultant at McKinsey & Company. He started Great Plains Software in 1983, and Microsoft bought it in 2001. After that, he worked at Microsoft as a senior vice president.
6. Chris Christie
Chris Christie fitted as the 55th governor of New Jersey and ran an unsuccessful campaign against the GOP nomination in 2016. He announced his candidacy for President of the United States on June 6, 2023.
Campaign Position:
As Christie campaigned for governor in 2026 against Trump, he said he wouldn’t support the former President as the GOP nominee.
He promises to provide aid to Ukraine and focuses on equalizing the competition with China, “reestablishing mutual respect with China,” and enacting legislation that provides federal tax credits to incentivize parental educational choice.
Biography:
Christie is from New Jersey, born in Newark and Livingston. He studied political science in college, then went to law school, and graduated from the University of Delaware in 1984.
He was chosen to be the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey in 2001 and was approved by the U.S. Senate without any objections. Time magazine identified him as one of the top 100 most influential people in 2011 and 2013.
7. Larry Elder
Larry Elder is a radio host and candidate in the California recall election 2021. He announced his bid for the 2024 presidential election on April 20, 2023.
Campaign Positions:
Elder supported extreme right-wing ideas like getting rid of the minimum wage when he was on TV. He talked a lot about crime and not liking pandemic rules when trying to get recalled.
In his campaign, he promises to secure the southern border by bolstering Border Patrol resources and investing in physical barriers. Fight China by “keeping the Pentagon focused on national defense, not left-wing social experimentation; asserting American dominance in the South China Sea and reassuring our Pacific allies; minimizing our reliance on Chinese manufacturing.”
Biography:
Larry Elder was born in 1952 in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in the Pico-Union and South Central neighborhoods. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Brown University and a law degree from the University of Michigan School of Law.
He worked as a news media host with various television companies over 20 years of his career. He was also rewarded with a Los Angeles area Emmy Award for creating “Making Waves – LAUSD,”
Elder hosted a talk radio show for Los Angeles’ KABC From 1994 to 2008 and 2010 to 2014. From 2015-2022, he began hosting The Larry Elder Show, a nationally syndicated talk radio program.
8. Asa Hutchinson :
Asa Hutchinson served as the governor of Arkansas from 2015 to 2023. He announced his candidacy for the 2024 U.S. presidential election on April 2, 2023.
Campaign Position:
Hutchinson promises to prioritize reducing government spending, increasing protection at the U.S.-Mexico border, and supporting law enforcement. On foreign policy, he said, “Isolationism only leads to weakness, and weakness leads to war.” He also highlighted his experience in government during his campaign launch speech, saying, “I stand alone in terms of my experience, my record, and leadership. From Congress to the DEA to Homeland Security, I have served our country in times of crisis.”
He has also criticized Mr. Trump’s attempts to reverse the 2020 election and suggested that he should withdraw from the presidential race.
Biography:
Hutchinson was born in Bentonville, Arkansas, on December 3, 1950. He completed his BSC degree in accounting from Bob Jones University in 1972 and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law.
Hutchinson was elected to public office in 1996, representing Arkansas’ 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He first ran for governor of Arkansas in 2006 and won. He ran again in 2014 and served as governor until 2023.
9. Perry Johnson :
Perry Johnson is a businessman and author. He officially declared his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election on March 2, 2023.
Campaign Positions:
Johnson’s campaign is all about cutting government spending. He wants to reduce the budget by 2% every year to tackle inflation and the deficit and also work on dismantling the Department of Education.
He also said, “I am pro-life, pro-second amendment, pro-family, pro-freedom, pro-American worker. I am anti-woke. I am anti-China. I question whether we must send over $100 billion to the Ukraine when we’re going broke here.”
Biography:
Johnson was born in Dolton, Illinois. He completed his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois.
Johnson started Perry Johnson, Inc. and Perry Johnson Registrars, Inc., in 1993-1994. Both these companies work to provide information about and certify industry quality standards and won over 70 companies within and outside of the United States.
In 2022, he tried to become the governor of Michigan but couldn’t meet the requirements to be on the ballot.
10. Mike Pence
Mike Pence used to be the vice president of the United States. He worked with President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2021. He officially declared his candidacy on June 5, 2023.
Campaign Position:
Pence focused on the economy, abortion, and his religious background as essential to his campaign. He promised to make the tax cuts from the Trump administration permanent, decrease spending, and back investment in energy production and border security.
Pence also said he would appoint federal judges who would “stand for the sanctity of human life” and “not relent until we restore the sanctity of Life to the center of American law in every state in the land!”.
Biography:
Pence was born in Columbus, Indiana, in 1959. He completed his undergraduate studies in history at Hanover College in 1981 and obtained his J.D. from Indiana University School of Law in 1986.
Pence became the governor of Indiana in 2012. He then decided to run for a second term as governor and became the vice president of the United States on January 20, 2017.
11. Vivek Ramaswamy :
Vivek Ramaswamy is a businessperson, political analyst, and writer. He declared his candidacy for the Republican U.S. presidential nomination in 2024 on February 21, 2023.
Campaign position:
Ramaswamy has highlighted his campaign around reducing the size of the federal government, supporting freedom of speech, opposing environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), opposing China, and opposing affirmative action. He also said, “This isn’t just a political campaign. This is a cultural movement to create a new American dream for the next generation. ”
Biography:
Ramaswamy was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1985. He grew up attending St. Xavier High School and graduating as class valedictorian. In 2007, he completed graduation with a bachelor’s degree in biology from Harvard College summa cum laude.
Since 2022, Ramaswamy has acted as co-founder and executive chairman of Strive Assessment Management. In 2022, he published a second book, Nation of Victims: Identity Politics, the Death of Merit, and the Path Back to Excellence, and has appeared in television and print as a political commentator.
12. Tim Scott
Tim Scott is a U.S. Senator from South Carolina and served in the position since 2013. He declared his candidacy for the 2024 U.S. presidential election on May 22, 2023.
Campaign Position:
Scott emphasized the economy, schools, and public safety in his campaign. He promises to lower taxes on the national debt, boost American manufacturing, and invest in the military, law enforcement, and security at the U.S.-Mexico border.
He also says, “I’m the candidate the far left fears the most. I disrupt their narrative. I’m living proof that America is the land of opportunity, not oppression.”
Biography:
Scott is from North Charleston, South Carolina. He finished high school at R.B. Stall High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Charleston Southern University.
Scott was elected to the Charleston County City Council and served from 1995- 2008. He was chosen to represent South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives and served from 2008 to 2013. After being selected by Governor Nikki Haley, he became an associate of the U.S. Senate on November 4, 2014, and was reelected in 2016.
Independent Candidates:
Two Independent candidates stand for the U.S. presidential election in 2024. Let’s check out their background and agenda for the election.
1. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is an author and lawyer who has worked in environmental and healthcare-related law. He is the son of former U.S. Attorney General and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of President John F. Kennedy. He declared his candidacy for the 2024 U.S. presidential election on April 5, 2023.
Campaign Position:
Kennedy first sought the Democratic nomination but decided to run independently in October.
He sighted in his campaign to dismantle the censorship-industrial complex in Big Tech censors, Train the police in de-escalation and mediation skills, and partner them with neighborhood organizations.
He also promised to work significantly to drop the level of chronic disease in our children, blamed childhood vaccines for autism, and lead the way toward national reconciliation.
Biography:
Kennedy was born in Washington, D.C., in 1954. He is the son of former U.S. Attorney General and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy. Kennedy earned a bachelor’s degree in American history and literature from Harvard University, a master’s degree in environmental law from Pace University, and a law degree from the University of Virginia.
He began his career 1982 as an associate district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. Kennedy went on to found the Pace University Environmental Litigation Clinic in 1987 and worked until 2018.
In 1999, he started the Waterkeeper Alliance, which aims to “strengthen and expand a worldwide network of local leaders who protect everyone’s access to clean water.” He was the chairman and attorney for the organization until 2017.
Kennedy started Children’s Health Defense in 2016, a nonprofit organization that aims to stop childhood health epidemics by actively removing harmful exposures and setting up measures to prevent future harm.
2. Cornel West
Cornel West is a professor activist and holds the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair at Union Theological Seminary. He intended to run for President in the 2024 election on June 5, 2023.
Campaign Position:
Dr. West first announced his intention to run with the People’s Party, a third party led by a former campaign staff member for Senator Bernie Sanders. However, he later changed his mind and sought the Green Party’s nomination instead. Eventually, he switched again and decided to run as an independent candidate.
Biography:
West was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in Sacramento, California. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern languages and literature from
Harvard University in 1973 and completed his master’s degree and Ph.D. in philosophy from Princeton University in 1980.
After completing his doctorate, West worked as an assistant professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Throughout his professional journey, West has released 20 literary works. Some notable titles include Race Matters (1993), Democracy Matters: Winning the Battle Against Imperialism (2004), and Black Prophetic Fire (2014).
Throughout his career, West has been involved in political activism and held the position of honorary chairman for the Democratic Socialists of America.
Conclusion:
There will be very steep competition, which will be difficult for anyone. Voters will elect their representatives. So, the candidates need to be clear on the positions about the problems the county is facing. Their debates and discussions will be worth watching and learning about the future of our great country, the United States of America.