Pessimism among Republican voters about America's future 1:20

(CNN) -- The first Republican primary debate won't happen until August. The initial primaries and caucuses won't happen until early next year.

But the 2024 presidential primary campaign is underway.

There is a growing field of candidates who will begin traveling through early primary states, appearing in interviews and vying for attention. Super PACs aligned with their interests are already doing battle on the airwaves.

These are the currently declared Republican presidential candidates, ordered by their place in CNN's most recent poll of the GOP's potential primary electorate.

  • ANALYSIS | Trump's Legal Dramas Overshadow His Presidential Campaign as Field of Republican Candidates Grows

Democrats and Republicans analyze the accusation against Trump 7:43

Donald Trump

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Campaign ad date: November 2022

The divisive former president is the leading Republican nominee despite his efforts to overturn the 2020 election he lost. The primaries are just beginning and there will be no voting until early 2024, but Trump has worked hard to defeat his main current rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

A major complication for Trump is his legal uncertainty. His criminal trial in New York for alleged involvement in a secret money payment scheme ahead of the 2016 election will begin alongside voting in the 2024 primary.

He could face additional charges, both at the federal level and in Fulton County, Georgia. But those investigations have been ongoing for years and it's not clear that the allegations will hurt their strength among many Republican voters.

Ron DeSantis

Everything you need to know about Ron DeSantis 4:31

Campaign announcement date: May 24 on Twitter

While Trump and his supporters went to work hitting DeSantis with TV ads, Florida's governor was working to build a case in his home state.

On top of a landslide re-election victory in 2022, DeSantis used a Republican majority in the Florida legislature to enact measures related to curbing abortion access, ending educational diversity initiatives, curbing LGBTQ rights and more.

While he lacks Trump's baggage on the legal front, DeSantis also lacks Trump's personality. In addition, his showdown with Disney over a bill to limit when sexual orientation and gender identity can be discussed in schools hasn't gone as DeSantis might have planned.

  • ANALYSIS | Trump's Legal Dramas Overshadow His Presidential Campaign as Field of Republican Candidates Grows

Nikki Haley

Nikki Haley defended the Confederate flag at a 2010 rally.

Campaign announcement date: February 2023

Haley has a stellar resume. Elected governor of a Southern state and selected as Trump's first ambassador to the United Nations, she would be the first woman and the first non-white Republican candidate if she can somehow succeed in the campaign to be elected the Republican Party candidate.

Much younger than Trump or President Joe Biden, Haley has made age a centerpiece of her campaign and advocated for some sort of age-based competency test: an interesting idea in terms of scoring points against older candidates, but also a potential detour for primary voters in a party that skews older.

Stay tuned: CNN will host a live forum with Haley on June 4 in Iowa.

Tim Scott

Learn more about Tim Scott and his presidential aspiration in the U.S. 2:17

Campaign announcement date: May 2023

The South Carolina senator is the only black Republican in the U.S. Senate. He has constructed the oddity of his biography to argue that it disrupts the narrative of American politics.

Though appealing to conservatives, Scott has a history of working across parties on police reform and more. But Trump, at least, hasn't seen it as a threat. The former president, who has mercilessly attacked DeSantis, congratulated Scott for participating in the race for the Republican nomination.

Vivek Ramaswamy

Campaign announcement date: February 2023

Ramaswamy, a biotech and health care entrepreneur who also writes books opposing corporate "woke" ideology and identity politics, is a low-stakes candidate, unknown to most Americans.

Asa Hutchison

Campaign announcement date: April 2023

The former governor and congressman of Arkansas announced his campaign arguing against isolationism and in favor of civility in campaigns. Those messages have not yet caught on in polls.

Larry Elder

Campaign announcement date: April 2023

The conservative radio host has never held elective office, but he was the highest-voting Republican in the failed 2021 effort to impeach California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

More to come

There are other Republicans considering campaigns. Former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum also rank in single digits in CNN's most recent poll.

Polls show Trump over DeSantis at this very early point

DeSantis (26%) is a distant second to Trump (53%), according to the new CNN national poll conducted by SSRS of Republican and Republican-leaning voters released Wednesday.

Both Pence and Haley garnered 6% support as their first choice.

Democrats and Republicans analyze the accusation against Trump 7:43

Who could the Republican electorate support? Could I not support it?

There are some interesting points as you dig deeper into the polling data, as CNN political director David Chalian explained on "Inside Politics."

"We asked people, in addition to their first choice, who they would be willing to support in this race," Chalian said.

The results (current main option plus who they would consider supporting) are a little different:

DeSantis: 85%.

Trump: 84%.

Haley: 61%.

Scott: 60%.

Others: 54%.

That's good news for those candidates, Chalian argued. On the other hand, it's bad news for people that most Republican and Republican-leaning voters said they wouldn't support:

Christie: 60% would not support.
Hutchinson: 55%.
Sununu: 55%.

Keep in mind that the top three on the "I would not support" list, of which only Hutchinson has declared an official candidacy, are the party's more moderate voices.

Watch the movement

Chalian also looked at the candidates' trajectory in the polls.

Trump has won, from 40% support in the GOP's potential primary electorate in March to 53% now.

DeSantis, before formally declaring his campaign, has fallen, from 36% support in March to 26% now.

That could mean the Republican race will ultimately be a test of who can take on Trump.

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