Miami Mayor Francis Suarez announced Tuesday that he is suspending his campaign for president after failing to qualify for the first Republican primary debate last week in Milwaukee. The 45-year-old Suarez is the first Republican to drop out of the 2024 race.
Suarez said: “Running for President of the United States has been one of the greatest honors of my life. This country has given so much to my family and me. The prospect of giving back at the highest levels of public service is a motivator if not a calling. Throughout this process, I have met so many freedom-loving Americans who care deeply about our nation, her people, and its future. It was a privilege to come so close to appearing on stage with the other candidates at last week’s first debate. While I have decided to suspend my campaign for President, my commitment to making this a better nation for every American remains.”
Suarez added: “The Left has taken Hispanics for granted for far too long, and it is no surprise that so many are finding a home in America’s conservative movement. Our party must continue doing more to include and attract this vibrant community that believes in our country’s foundational values: faith, family, hard work and freedom. Younger voters, Independents, urban voters and suburban women- all of whom I’ve carried in previous elections – among others, should find a comfortable home in the GOP and its policies.”
Ahead of the debate, Suarez announced that he had qualified for it by meeting the polling requirements and the donor threshold, claiming to have received donations from “nearly 50,000” (well above the party’s requirement of 40,000). However after his announcement, an RNC staffer familiar with the debate planning said Suarez had not been certified as a debate participant, which Suarez later conceded, saying he was behind on “one national poll or one state poll.”
The Cuban-American Suarez announced his candidacy in June, and made a pitch for his candidacy based on his track record as Miami mayor, a part-time position he’s held since 2017, when he was working as a lawyer in a Miami firm. Suarez, a real estate attorney, also served in the Miami City Commission from 2009-2017.
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