So far, the 2024 presidential election pool has remained small; there are only three Republicans and one Democrat officially running. The confirmed Republicans are Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Donald Trump, while the only Democrat running is Marianne Williamson, though Biden is expected to run for a second term. With so few choices at the moment, it is highly important to know the beliefs of each candidate and what they plan to do if elected.

Nikki Haley is the former governor of South Carolina and ambassador to the United Nations. According to NBC News, Haley was born to immigrant parents from India. She believes in the enforcement of immigration laws. Though Haley has said that she understands that the system is broken and has called to fix it, she opposes open borders. Medically, she is pro-life and has opposed any efforts directed towards expanding Medicaid. Haley remains against increasing taxes. Furthermore, according to the New York Times, Haley has had an on-and-off relationship with former President Donald Trump, giving him support at times and then removing her support, causing many Republicans to question her consistency. Haley has supported removing the Confederate flag from South Carolina and has said that she plans to be a part of the “new generation of leadership.”

Vivek Ramaswamy is a unique candidate starring in a rags-to-riches story. According to the New Republic, he founded the company Riovant, from which he became a multimillionaire. Ramaswamy grew up with immigrant parents from India, coming from nothing yet ending up at Harvard and Yale Law School after graduating as valedictorian from his high school. According to CBN, Ramaswamy has described himself as “anti-woke” and frequently blames America’s issues on the progressive left. Ramaswamy claims that the federal administrative state is ruining the country, and he aims to dismantle that. Additionally, Ramaswamy believes that it is important to go after any large corporations that embrace the government pushing economic, social, or environmental priorities. Ramaswamy is a supporter of Trump and, according to CBN, many of their views align.

Donald Trump, despite being caught in the middle of several lawsuits, still aims to run for the second term he was denied in 2020. Trump’s beliefs have been increasingly well-known. According to the BBC, he does not believe in immigration and still supports the construction of a wall on the American-Mexican border. He does not believe in gun control and frequently defends the Second Amendment. Trump is pro-life and aims to eliminate the Affordable Care Act. Trump also aims to end reliance on China and promote domestic manufacturing.

Marianne Williamson is, so far, the only confirmed Democrat running.  According to the New York Times, Williamson is a self-help author who has published many books; she was also a spiritual advisor to Oprah Winfrey. Williamson ran in 2020 but was unsuccessful. Williamson has been told that she does not have the experience to be running and has responded with, “What is now considered ‘politically qualified’ for the presidency is simply the ability to do what the system does — in essence, to perpetuate itself. My qualification is not that I’m experienced at running that system, but that I’m best qualified to help transform it.” According to PBS, Williamson believes that immediate action is necessary to reverse climate change, supporting the Green New Deal and adherence to the Paris Climate Accord. She believes that education is important and wants to implement a free higher education as well as a universal preschool. Williamson is against gun violence and aims to end it by banning assault weapons. Additionally, on abortion she is pro-choice, saying that though it is a moral issue, morals are subjective to each individual. Furthermore, according to the New York Times, Williamson has supported many debunked medical theories, especially about mental illness.

Though this is an overview of what each candidate believes, it is still important to do further research on candidates before voting in order to keep up to date on their beliefs. Additionally, it is vital to find this information through reliable sources, especially with direct quotes from each candidate. As the race continues to fill in, this research will become increasingly vital to making an informed decision come Election Day.