What does the number of GOP candidates say about the 2024 primary election?

WASHINGTON (TND) — The number of Republicans running for president keeps growing, with three candidates launching bids this week.

Political experts say the long list could be solidifying a shoo-in for the top spot, just like another recent election cycle.

The list includes former President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, former Vice President Mike Pence, Vivek Ramaswamy, Ryan Binkley, Larry Elder, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, and Perry Johnson.

"It's true there are multiple candidates, but it's not necessarily unusual to have multiple candidates," said Tevi Troy, former United States Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services for the George W. Bush Administration and the head of the Presidential Leadership Initiative at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

In 2016, one of the ways that Trump made it to the presidency was by when famously winning over a field of 16 others who were running against him," the presidential expert explained. "The question is, will those six to 10 split the non-Trump vote allowing Trump to get through with a plurality?

According to FiveThirtyEight, Trump is leading with 53.8%.

It is still early and Troy says voters are really paying attention to the number of presidential candidates.

He also says there is a big gap between what voters know about Trump compared to the other contenders.

Troy says it is now time to pay attention to the debates.

He blew away the other candidates in the last series of debates," Troy said. "This time, it's going to be different because every candidate up there is going to have a plan for Trump.

The first Republican presidential primary debate is in Milwaukee on August 23. If there are enough qualifying contenders there will be a second debate the day after.

Undecided voters like Hector Rivera will be watching.

"I haven't made a decision yet, but I'm sure that when I step into that booth next November, I'll have to make one," he explained. "We need to find somebody that can bring people together."

There are more than 500 days until the 2024 presidential election.