Miami mayor Francis Suarez becomes first Republican to quit 2024 race

Francis Suarez, the mayor of Miami, has become the first GOP candidate to quit the crowded race for the party nomination.

Suarez, who launched his long-shot presidential bid in June, announced his withdrawal in a social media post.

“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.

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He was the sole Hispanic candidate vying for the party nomination.

Suarez, 45, had failed to qualify for the first Republican debate of the primary season. He did not meet the polling threshold according to the Republican National Committee, over 1% 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.

Suarez, who is Cuban American, earlier said anyone who did not qualify for the first debate should drop out, responding to a question from a reporter at the Iowa state fair.

In addition to Suarez, the Republican candidates Will Hurd, Larry Elder and Perry Johnson did not make it on to 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.”