Francis Suarez Enters 2024 Republican Presidential Race – Mayor Francis Suarez of Miami has announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. On Thursday morning, he tweeted: “My dad taught me that you get to choose your battles, and I am choosing the biggest one of my life. I’m running for president.” The tweet was accompanied by a video of Suarez out for a run.
Prior to delivering a speech at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, the 45-year-old mayor of Cuban American descent also engaged in a conversation with ABC News. “I think I have a different message,” he said, claiming to have “implemented generational change”, touting his experience leading a major city and winning election and re-election by large margins.
Suarez finds himself as an outsider amidst a crowded field where two other Florida figures, Donald Trump, the twice indicted former president, and Ron DeSantis, the hard-right governor, dominate the scene. Trump maintains a significant lead in most polling averages, surpassing his competitors by more than 30 points. The rest of the pack, including former vice-president Mike Pence, trails far behind.
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When questioned about his thoughts on Trump’s recent indictment in Miami, which involved 37 federal charges related to the handling of classified materials, Suarez attempted to evade the question by emphasizing how the city managed to avoid any chaos during Trump’s court appearance. Under further scrutiny, Suarez acknowledged that many Republicans believe there is an imbalance in the administration of justice.
However, when pressed again to share his personal opinion on Trump’s behavior, Suarez commented that he would have handed over the requested documents, unlike Trump, while also trying to draw a connection between the case and an investigation involving documents retained by Joe Biden. “I’m not an expert on these kinds of matters,” Suarez said. “But I do want to say this, that this conversation is not a healthy conversation. We should be talking about the issues the Americans care about.”
Suarez insisted he was not running against Trump, but “against Joe Biden’s America”. The New York Times reported that an advertisement campaign targeting early voting states accused Biden of inadequate crime control. The article also mentioned an ongoing FBI investigation that could potentially impact Suarez’s presidential campaign.
“Mr Suarez is little known outside his state, and he is facing emerging allegations of influence-peddling on behalf of a real estate development company,” the Times said. The board also asked: “Is being president really Suarez’s goal?” In two terms, the paper said, the mayor had “turned himself into a tech-bro hero, cryptocurrency cheerleader and conservative cable news staple.”
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“He likes the glitz and star power that come with running a city that’s transforming into a technology and financial hub. That attention seems to have convinced him he can run for president.” The Herald also highlighted Suarez’s track record of deviating from Republican conventional beliefs, as evidenced by his two votes against Trump. They also emphasized his capacity to advocate for the Hispanic population that Republicans aim to appeal to.
Suarez told ABC he would pledge to support Trump if he won the nomination, adding: “I’m the only candidate who’s Hispanic in both parties. I think that’s incredibly important because 20% of the country is made up of Hispanics that are trending Republican.” Referring to the example of Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 and currently serves as the US transportation secretary, the Herald suggested that Suarez might have genuine aspirations to secure a cabinet position.