JOB VACANCY Kurir AJAH GAJI MENARIK

 The path to the 2024 US presidential election begins almost as soon as midterm elections end - and several candidates are already waiting in the wings.

Former president Donald Trump is currently favoured to win the party's nominating contest and go on to face President Joe Biden in a rematch of their 2020 race.

But while Mr Trump remains hugely popular with Republican voters, he faces numerous legal challenges and will also be 78 years old in two years.

That means he may be in for a stiff challenge from a coterie of Republican hopefuls, including some who once backed him.

Ron DeSantis

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has worked hard to emulate Mr Trump and he is widely considered the candidate most likely to supplant him.

At 44 years old, the Harvard and Yale-educated lawyer is a relative newcomer in US politics.

He once served in the US Navy, including a tour in Iraq. He also served in the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2018.

But his star has risen considerably since he became Florida governor in 2019, a role in which he positions himself as an enthusiastic champion of conservativism.

He eschewed mask and vaccine mandates during the pandemic, signed anti-riot laws in the wake of racial justice protests and backed legislation to limit LGBT education in primary schools.

Under DeSantis' tenure, Republican voters outnumber Democrats in the state for the first time - and he is expected to coast to re-election on Tuesday.

His chief rival appears to be paying very close attention.

Mr Trump recently held a rally in Florida but snubbed the governor. And at a rally on Saturday, Mr Trump showed the crowd poll numbers favourable to himself and referred to Mr DeSantis as "Ron DeSanctimonious"- though he later endorsed him on Monday night while also hinting at his own run for the presidency in 2024.