The UK is soon to have a new prime minister. Incumbent Theresa May has already left the post of Conservative Party leader. She is to vacate the role of prime minister on July 22.

After May announced her impending resignation, many Conservatives announced their candidacy to replace her. The field has now been narrowed down as the race comes to a close.

Johnson and Hunt remain

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt are the final two contenders to become the next leader of the Conservative Party. As such, they are also effectively campaigning to become the next prime minister of the United Kingdom.

One of, if not the most central issue, is that of the UK"s planned exit from the European Union. More commonly, it's referred to as 'Brexit'.

Johnson is a controversial and polarizing figure. Often accused of offensive remarks, he also has hard-line views on policies such as Brexit and immigration. He was born in the United States and comes from a political family. His great-grandfather was the interior minister of the Ottoman Empire. More recently, his father Stanley was a member of the European Parliament during the 1970s and 1980s. Johnson's younger brother Jo has been a member of Parliament since 2010. He has held a number of ministerial positions, most recently minister of transport. A sister, Rachel, is also a political commentator among other professions, Notably, she has broken with her brothers and father on views regarding the European Union.

For several years, Johnson worked as a journalist in England. He was first elected to Parliament in 2001 and remained until 2008. Johnson had taken office as mayor of London, having been elected shortly before. For roughly one month, Johnson served both as mayor and as MP.

During a second term as mayor, Johnson was again elected to Parliament.

This time, the overlap of serving in both positions lasted one year. From 2016 to 2018, he was foreign secretary.

Hunt also has a prominent background

Hunt also comes from a prominent family. Though in his case, it's a military family. His father Nicholas was an admiral in the Royal Navy. Nicholas' father, John Montgomerie Hunt, was a brigadier in the British Indian Army.

Hunt was born in England and spent a large chunk of his childhood in Scotland. As The Daily Telegraph indicates, he proudly boasts of his Scottish connections. In 2005, he was elected to Parliament for the first time.

Within months, he began taking on prominent positions in the Loyal Opposition. After the Conservatives regained control, he served in multiple Cabinet roles under David Cameron and Theresa May. Currently, he is the foreign secretary, having succeeded Johnson.

As the BBC reports, both men quickly took part in a public husting after their advancement. They are scheduled for several more, along with three televised debates, before a final selection.

They beat out other prominent politicians

Many other established political figures made a run for the post. Arguably the most famous is Michael Gove. Currently, Gove is the environment secretary. He has held various high-level positions since joining Parliament in 2005.

Other current Cabinet members running include Matt Hancock, Sajid Javid and Rory Stewart. Former Cabinet members that ran include Andrea Leadsom, Esther McVey and Dominic Raab.