Florida’s Presidential Preference Field Officially Set

TALLAHASSEE – The field of presidential candidates appearing on the ballot in Florida in March is officially set. Eight candidates qualified for ballot access in Florida, all of whom are running for the Republican Party nomination.

Because no other Democratic candidate qualified for the Florida ballot to challenge incumbent President Joe Biden, registered Democratic voters will not participate in the presidential primary election on March 19th, 2024. Eight Republican candidates qualified, each of whom will compete for Florida’s 341 delegates.

The eight Republicans who qualified for the ballot are as follows:

• Ryan L. Binkley (Texas pastor)
• Doug Burgum (Governor of North Dakota)
• Chris Christie (Former Governor of New Jersey)
• Ron DeSantis (Governor of Florida)
• Nikki D. Haley (Former United Nations Ambassador. former Governor of South Carolina)
• Asa Hutchinson (Former Governor of Arkansas)
• Vivek Ramaswamy (Pharmaceutical entrepreneur)
• Donald J. Trump (Former President of the United States)

Of the eight candidates on the Florida ballot, seven are still actively campaigning for the Republican nomination as of Thursday. Doug Burgum, the sitting Governor of North Dakota, suspended his presidential bid on Monday following six months of campaigning.

In order to vote in Florida’s Republican presidential primary, one has to be registered with the Republican Party of Florida by February 20th, 2024. It’s not uncommon in Florida’s closed primary system for voters to switch their registered party in order to vote in the elections in which their vote may have the most impact.

Polling in the Florida primary largely places Donald Trump far ahead of his Republican competitors, as is the case in most states on the map. Even Ron DeSantis, who Florida voters re-elected last year with a 59.37% majority, is consistently polling a significant amount behind Trump in his home-state.