Donald Trump’s Republican Opposition Worries About Crowded Primary Field

The 2024 primary field grew to seven candidates with the most recent entrance of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) but could swell to about ten candidates in the coming weeks, triggering Republican senators to worry about a rerun of the 2016 primary when the large field of candidates failed to establish enough support to overcome Trump’s solid share of the electorate to cruise to the nomination.

Before DeSantis entered the race on May 24, some Republicans speculated he would carve supporters away from Trump’s base, but polling on May 31 by Morning Consult revealed Trump still leads by 34 points over his closest potential competitor. Trump’s continued preeminence over the crowded field, including DeSantis, who many view as Trump’s biggest rival, appears to be attracting yet more GOP candidates into the race.

“A replay of 2016? Yeah,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) told the Hill.

He continued:
 

A number of these people are in low single digits, so my hope would be that, if after a few months their numbers don’t get better, that they decide to drop out so that it becomes a two- or three-person race. I think that would be the best development, as far as I’m concerned.