Miami Mayor Francis Suarez Becomes First Republican to Quit 2024 Race – Francis Suarez, Miami’s mayor, has emerged as the inaugural GOP contender to exit the competitive race for the party’s nomination. Having initiated his less-probable presidential campaign in June, Suarez disclosed his decision to withdraw through a post on social media.
“While I have decided to suspend my campaign for president, my commitment to making this a better nation for every American remains,” Suarez wrote on Twitter, the platform now known as X. As the only Hispanic aspirant competing for the party’s nomination, Suarez, aged 45, did not manage to secure a spot in the initial Republican debate of the primary season.
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He fell short of meeting the polling requirement set by the Republican National Committee, which demanded a minimum of 1% support in three qualifying polls. “It was a privilege to come so close to appearing on stage with the other candidates at last week’s first debate,” he said in his withdrawal statement. Having Cuban American heritage, Suarez previously expressed that those who didn’t meet the criteria for the initial debate should withdraw, addressing a reporter’s query at the Iowa state fair.
Apart from Suarez, Republican contenders Will Hurd, Larry Elder, and Perry Johnson also did not secure a spot on the debate stage. During the campaign trail, Suarez took aim at controversial education policies backed by Ron DeSantis, a fellow Floridian, including curriculum that claims Black people benefited from slavery and the Parental Rights in Education Act, also known as the “don’t say gay” bill, which restricts teaching of gender and sexual identity until the ninth grade, in an interview with ABC News.
Suarez at one point said he would consider pardoning Donald Trump if elected. In response to Suarez suspending his 2024 Republican primary campaign, DNC spokesperson Ammar Moussa said in a statement: “One fewer Republican who wants to ban abortion nationwide. Too bad the rest of the field is just as extreme. Good riddance.”
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