Francis Suarez becomes first to drop out of 2024 presidential race
Rachel Schilke
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Miami Mayor Francis Suarez has dropped out of the 2024 Republican presidential race.
“While I have decided to suspend my campaign for president, my commitment to making this a better nation for every American remains,” Suarez said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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Suarez failed to qualify for the Republican National Committee’s first debate on Aug. 23. He is the first GOP candidate to drop out of the packed primary race.
https://twitter.com/FrancisSuarez/status/1696566861196914997
The Miami mayor condemned the Biden administration in his exit statement.
“The current Administration is failing our country,” Suarez wrote. “Inflation remains high, elevated interest rates are punishing young Americans, the southern border is wide open, crime is rising, and our enemies and adversaries are growing bolder and stronger. We deserve better.”
He said he plans on keeping in touch with other Republican presidential candidates to make sure the party “puts forward a strong nominee who can inspire and unify the country, renew Americans’ trust in our institutions and in each other, and win.”
Suarez told reporters at the Iowa State Fair that he believed candidates who don’t qualify for the debate should suspend their campaigns.
“I’ve sort of always agreed with that. If you can’t meet the minimum thresholds, you shouldn’t be trying to take time and volume away from people that do,” Suarez said. “I don’t think candidates should just sort of linger around if they don’t have a credible path.”
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Suarez said on Tuesday that he will continue to amplify Hispanic communities, a voting bloc the mayor believes Democrats have taken for “granted for far too long,” and urged the Republican Party to be conscious of voters’ desires heading into 2024.
“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,” Suarez said. “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.”