Primary challengers and the inevitability of Trump as the nominee

Despite the Republican primaries being relatively unsurprising, it is clear that former President Donald Trump is set to face President Joe Biden in the November election. This raises the question of what motivated the candidates who challenged Trump in the primaries. For instance, Ron DeSantis invested heavily in Iowa, but finished second and subsequently dropped out. Nikki Haley, who aimed to build a coalition of more moderate Republicans and independents, also fell short, securing second place in New Hampshire. Trump's influence as an incumbent, despite not holding office for four years, has been a key factor in attracting loyal supporters.