Will Mike Pence soon challenge his ex-boss to a duel? Over the holidays, corresponding rumors about the former Vice President's possible candidacy caused a stir in political Washington. The broadcaster "Sky News" had previously reported that the 63-year-old Republican was fighting for the White House. Corresponding papers were received by the responsible election commission, it said.

But as soon as the message was out, the backtrack followed. Pence did not submit any papers for a candidacy today, his advisor Davin O'Malley wrote on Twitter on Monday. A short time later it was said that the tweet had been removed by the author. Pence himself has not yet commented on the latest rumors, but had already announced during the midterms that he was considering running for office. This would mean that Donald Trump's once loyal companion himself would compete against his former boss.

So far, Trump is the only known candidate who has officially announced his candidacy for 2024. But behind the scenes, possible rivals are already making initial preparations shortly before the end of the year.

Right at the front: Florida's governor Ron DeSantis. His candidacy is still pending, but so far he has been given the best chance against the ex-president. Because although the 44-year-old Republican has adapted much of Trump's hardliner rhetoric, he can appeal to a broader group of voters thanks to his supposedly moderate demeanor. With the start of his state's new legislative session, DeSantis is now running ads on Google and Facebook nationwide. With his political plans in Florida, the governor wants to score points in front of a national audience, as a consultant for the Washington Post reports.

Meanwhile, the team led by former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has begun searching for potential employees in those states where primary elections are held first. "We have to be sure by the first quarter of next year if we want to make it," said the 58-year-old recently in a "Fox News" interview. Traditionally, the candidature is only decided in the election year in an internal party pre-selection process that often lasts months – which you as an applicant have to be able to afford first.

Asa Hutchinson, Governor of Arkansas, knows this too. The 72-year-old Republican is therefore already in talks with major donors and, according to employees, is weighing his chances of financing a possible "endurance race". "You never know when this early frontrunner is going to stumble," says Hutchinson, who has repeatedly called on the Grand Old Party (GOP) to break away from Trump.

The former president is no longer undisputed in his party. Criticism mounts after his handpicked candidates were rejected by voters in the midterm elections in the fall. Even his candidacy, which Trump nevertheless announced on November 15, did not cause the storm of enthusiasm that he had hoped for. Many prominent Republicans have so far held back with statements of support.

There are also new headlines almost every week that put the 76-year-old in a bad light. At the end of November, he had to justify himself for a scandalous dinner at his Mar-a-Lago property, to which known anti-Semites were invited. Shortly before Christmas, the non-partisan committee recommended on January 6 that Trump should even be excluded from future offices because of his role in the storming of the Capitol (Stern reported). Not to mention several investigations currently underway against him.

So it is hardly surprising that the ex-president has not held any further campaign dates since announcing his candidacy. While Trump went first and now faces growing problems, several Washington Post contributors have revealed his rivals see certain merits in sitting back and strategically preparing their own campaigns.

Crucial weeks are therefore ahead of Trump's competition at the beginning of the new year. It is necessary to set up teams for the campaigns, to sharpen one's own profile in the important pre-election states and to raise money for the expensive election campaign. Republican party strategists expect the first unofficial campaign events to begin shortly after the holiday. Many applicants will use the traditional "Lincoln Day Dinners" in February and March to raise awareness and draw donors on board.

It is still unclear how many Republicans will actually dare to take the step. A crowded field of applicants could even end up being an advantage for the ex-president. Such was the case in 2016, when the rest of the GOP failed to agree on an alternative candidate and Trump won key primaries.

It should be different this time. Numerous potential candidates have announced that they will make a decision about 2024 in winter or spring at the latest. Ex-Vice Pence recently said that he wanted to discuss a possible candidacy with his family in Indianapolis during the Christmas holidays. Nikki Haley, UN ambassador under Trump, also said at a recent event that she wanted to use the time between the years to weigh her chances.

One thing is certain: the field is likely to widen in the coming weeks.

Sources: Washington Post, NY Times, Sky News, with AFP footage