Miami Mayor Francis Suarez on Tuesday became the first Republican presidential hopeful to bow out of the race. He ended his long-shot bid after failing to qualify for the first GOP primary debate last week in Milwaukee.
“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,” Suarez wrote on X.
While he vowed to keep in touch with the other Republican presidential candidates and pledged to aid in putting forth a strong nominee who can inspire and unify the country, Suarez also took aim at President Joe Biden.
“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,” Suarez wrote.
A Unifier That Could Not Garner GOP Support
The mayor had largely centered his campaign on his record of success in Miami, and noted he won re-election as a Republican in one of Florida’s bluest cities. The Cuban-American politician has touted his Hispanic heritage and billed himself as a unifier.
Considered an extreme long shot, he had previously suggested he’d end his campaign if he failed to qualify for the first GOP debate. Suarez had claimed to have secured enough donors and received one percent support in at least three accepted national polls — requirements to take part in the debate — but the Republican National Committee left him off the list of eight qualifying candidates.
National polls have placed Suarez consistently near the bottom of the pack.
“If you can’t meet the minimum thresholds, you shouldn’t be trying to take time and volume away from people that do,” he said in Iowa earlier this month.
Someone Had to Be First
This year’s Republican field isn’t as wide as it was in the 2016 election cycle, when more than 20 candidates entered the race — albeit some quite briefly. Moreover, Suarez could hardly be described as the greatest long shot.
In fact, conservative commentator and documentary filmmaker Dennis Michael was only in the race for barely two weeks, from April 22 until May 3, 2015. The Washington Post even described Michael as the “19th most likely guy to win the GOP Presidential Nomination.”
The first “serious” candidate to withdraw in the 2016 election cycle was then-Governor Rick Perry of Texas. He announced on June 4, 2015, and withdrew on September 11, following poor polling after the first GOP debate.
Others who didn’t make it until the primaries included Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and former New York Governor George Pataki.
Who is Next?
It is almost a certainty that the field will thin out before the actual primaries begin. It could be too early to suggest will be the next to bow out. However, on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump — who currently leads in the polls, yet voluntarily didn’t take part in last week’s GOP debate — called for his arch-critic former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to exit the race.
“[Christie] SHOULD DROP OUT OF THE RACE. HE IS GOING NOWHERE AND IS VERY BAD FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY!,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Of course, Christie remains among those who would like to see Trump drop out.
Author Experience and Expertise
A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
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