There is no doubt as to who will secure the 2020 Republican nomination for president. On the same day as his inauguration in January 2016, in a rather unprecedented move, President Trump filed for re-election. A confident incumbent may declare their intentions long before a new campaign cycle, but this was early by far.

Going into 2019, the GOP can boast several accomplishments. After two years of majority rule in Washington, there have been some policy victories. But along with the wins have come a fair share of stalls and setbacks. If November’s midterm elections did one thing, they created a sliver of doubt within the Republican Party as to its future. Overall, voters placed the House back into the hands of Democrats and ensured congressional gridlock will be a main feature over the next two years.