The 2024 Republican presidential field is rapidly shrinking. But is it too late to stop Trump?

By STEVE PEOPLES, MEG KINNARD and THOMAS BEAUMONT
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The Republican Party’s once-crowded 2024 presidential primary field has suddenly shrunk to just a handful of viable candidates, but it’s unclear if the GOP is any closer to coalescing behind a clear alternative to former President Donald Trump. A day after South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott stunned many of his own staff by suspending his campaign, the fight between Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis for a distant second place appears to be intensifying. And some lower-tier candidates insist on battling for relevance, despite growing pressure to bow out of the race altogether. Meanwhile, Trump’s team is cheering on the muddle for second place with Iowa’s Jan. 15 kickoff caucuses just two months away.