Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf and former minister Ash Regan have announced they will stand to take over from Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader and Scotland's first minister.
The pair, who both revealed yesterday their plans to run, are the first to declare their candidacy.
Finance Secretary Kate Forbes is expected to announce her candidacy as early as today, according to the BBC.
Angus Robertson, the Constitution Secretary, is said to be undecided.
Keith Brown, Neil Gray, and Mairi McAllan are the latest figures to rule themselves out.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney has already said he won't stand.
Winner
The winner of the race is due to be announced on March 27.
Announcing his leadership bid, Mr Yousaf says he had been through a "rollercoaster of emotions" since Ms Sturgeon announced her shock resignation on Wednesday, after eight years.
He says: "You've got to put yourself forward if you think you're the best person for the job. And I do. This is the top job in the country, and it needs somebody who has experience."
Mr Yousaf, who first became an MSP in 2011, has been a prominent figure on the SNP frontbenches in every Scottish administration since and has been considered a strong leadership candidate for many years.
But the 37-year-old's time as justice minister saw him bogged down in controversy surrounding the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill - which faced backlash over its impact on freedom of expression.
He has also been criticised for his running of the NHS in Scotland, which experienced the hardest winter in its history in recent months.
Unity
For her part, Ms Regan said the SNP "need to bring back unity, draw a line under certain things and move past them", adding her belief that she is "the person to do that".
This statement is a reference to the controversial Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which was subsequently blocked by the Westminster government.
Before it was approved by a majority in Holyrood, the SNP's former community safety minister had quit in protest over it and became an outspoken critic of the legislation.
Ms Regan said: "The electorate expect the Scottish Government to focus on things that are important to them.
"That means the NHS, which is still struggling to get back on its feet after the pandemic. People expect a first minister to concentrate on boosting the economy, creating jobs and helping them deal with the cost-of-living crisis."
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