Donald Trump stumbled in 2022. How is he leading the 2024 race?
Al Jazeera
Criminal charges, weak rivals and renewed energy have helped the former US president recover from political setbacks.
Washington, DC – “Florida man makes announcement.”
That’s how the New York Post, a right-wing tabloid, described the launch of Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign last year: with the headline equivalent of a shrug.
It was a low point for Trump. Disappointing results for his handpicked candidates in the midterm elections had bruised his reputation as a Republican kingmaker, and conservative commentators like Ann Coulter had turned their backs on him.
For a moment, it appeared as if Trump had finally lost his momentum — that his immunity to scandal and setbacks had worn off. His third campaign for the White House debuted to little fanfare.
But now, Trump is leading the race for the Republican nomination by proverbial miles, with public opinion polls showing him dozens of percentage points ahead of his closest rivals. More worryingly for Democrats, surveys also suggest President Joe Biden is trailing him in a potential match-up in the general elections.
