Skittish Republicans fear taking on Trump -- and that could hurt him

After years talk, potential Republican candidates for the 2024 Presidential nomination are slow to step up to challenge former President Donald Trump.

With the expected Feb. 15 announcement of former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley to challenge Trump, and the eventual expected announcement of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to join the primary season, what was expected to be a crowded field is looking very thin.

The question is why?

Have DeSantis and Trump sucked all the oxygen out of the room?

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Has Haley already crafted out a niche with women and minorities to cater to the forgotten demographics that may be left behind by DeSantis and Trump?

One moderate candidate that also resides on the I-95 East Coast corridor is former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, who recently made public his serious thoughts on running for the GOP nomination. Hogan has often stated his proximity to Washington, D.C. as a successful two-term governor in a traditionally blue state as a value proposition on why he would be the GOP candidate that would cast the widest net for potential voters.

"We have to find a candidate that can reach a larger group of people and attract swing voters or we won't be able to govern," Hogan said during a recent interview with Fox News.

The New York Times notes that other theories on the light GOP Presidential candidate field include the less-than-impressive midterm election turnout and a general passiveness and resistance to attack Trump in fear of the long-term repercussions. However, the lack of candidates could be a negative for Trump, as it will not allow him to benefit from a split field as he did in 2016.