Trump’s Big Advantages as the Election Year Unfolds

Since the last presidential campaign, former President Donald Trump has complained repeatedly that the political system is “rigged” against him. As the 2024 election season draws near, the system actually does appear to be rigged—in his favor.

The current structure of U.S. presidential elections helps the leading Republican presidential contender in significant ways. Thanks in part to years of work by the former president’s campaign and allies, the party’s primary rules and calendar are designed to help a front-runner sew up the nomination quickly. That would be an advantage in any case, but it may matter even more in a year when Trump’s legal troubles in multiple civil and criminal trials could mount as the primary calendar unfolds.