In the immediate aftermath of the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, many Republican lawmakers distanced themselves from then-president Donald Trump after he fueled anger within the mob and gave a delayed response to the violence.
But it was not a full break.
The twice-impeached former president insisted he did nothing wrong, calling detained rioters “hostages" as he continued to spread false claims of election fraud. His approach worked — setting the stage for a return to the political limelight.
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“In order to make America great and glorious again, tonight I am announcing my candidacy for president of the United States," Trump said in November 2022.
Yet his path to the GOP nomination was anything but certain, with his entrance coming just days after Republicans’ disappointing results in the midterms, when Trump-backed candidates lost in key races.
He also faced criminal investigations, creating an opening for another rising star in the party.
"This is our responsibility. To carry this torch and preserve this sacred fire of liberty," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in January.
At first a distant second in the polls, DeSantis would gain ground.
But then, an extraordinary moment in April 2023 changed the course of the race, and American history.
Trump was indicted in New York, in the first of four criminal cases brought against him.
He cast himself as the victim, claiming the prosecutions were politically motivated.
The message resonated with supporters, helping extend his lead over the GOP field.
Given fears over alienating the base, most rivals wouldn’t attack him. In fact, just the opposite was true.
Then in the early nominating contests, Trump won by a record margin.
Trump took the lead and never looked back, setting up a rematch most Americans say they don’t want.
The former president’s trial in the hush money case would take him away from the campaign trail, but it didn’t stop him from attracting the media’s gaze as he used courthouse appearances as de facto stump speeches.
“This was a rigged decision right from day one, with a conflicted judge who should've never been allowed to try this case, never," Trump said in May.
Then — another bombshell.
Trump became the first president convicted of a crime, with a jury finding him guilty on all 34 counts in his hush money trial.
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But Republicans largely stood by him. It only bolstered what had been a cash-strapped campaign, as a record level of donations poured in.
The conviction, other scandals and repeated fabrications about election fraud proved not to be deal-breakers.
