Republican Candidate Drops Out of Presidential Race

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez has suspended his short-lived presidential campaign after failing to qualify for the GOP debate earlier this month.

In a lengthy statement posted Tuesday to X (formerly Twitter), Suarez said he was suspending his campaign a little more than two months after announcing his long-shot bid for the presidency.

"Running for President of the United States has been one of the greatest honors of my life," he said. "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. Throughout this process, I have met so many freedom-loving Americans who care deeply about our nation, her people, and its future. It was a privilege to come so close to appearing on stage with the other candidates at last week's first debate."

A relative unknown in national politics before launching his campaign earlier this year, Suarez made aggressive inroads into the Republican primary field, running an extensive digital promotional campaign that outspent several of his peers in the lead-up to the August 23 debate in Milwaukee.

Unable to achieve the momentum of better-funded foes despite heavy backing from deep-pocketed Silicon Valley donors, Suarez—who polled at or near zero percent in most major presidential surveys—later resorted to using his campaign funds to attempt to entice donors to contribute to his campaign. The tactic mirrored similar efforts by figures like North Dakota's millionaire governor, Doug Burgum, to meet the small-donor criteria the Republican National Committee established for candidates to qualify for the debate.

In his statement Tuesday, Suarez said, "I had looked forward to sharing the story of Miami, America's most successful city, especially at a time when so many cities are plagued with poverty, unemployment, high taxes, violent crime, and homelessness. I know what we have achieved during my tenure leading the City of Miami can be replicated in every community in our great country. The next President must play a major role in getting America's cities back on track to safety, prosperity, and a better quality of life for all.

"While I have decided to suspend my campaign for President," he concluded, "my commitment to making this a better nation for every American remains."

Despite his failure to qualify for the Milwaukee event, Suarez continued to insist he had reached the debate stage after saying that those who failed to do so should drop out of the race.

"I agree that if you can't meet the minimum thresholds you shouldn't be trying to take the time involved away from being productive," Suarez told reporters at the Iowa State Fair earlier this month.

After days of silence, Suarez, it seemed, had taken his own advice.

"The current Administration is failing our country," he said in his statement. "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.

"I look forward to keeping in touch with the other Republican presidential candidates and doing what I can to make sure our 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," he said.

Suarez, the first major candidate to officially drop out of the GOP race, now returns to a mayoral administration plagued by ethics questions. Weeks before his campaign's launch, the Miami Herald reported that he was facing an ethics investigation over alleged cash payments he received to help fast-track a developer's multimillion-dollar project in Miami's affluent Coconut Grove neighborhood.

Just last week, the Herald also reported that Suarez was potentially facing a probe by the Florida State Ethics Commission over his access to VIP events hosted by billionaire Ken Griffin and Inter Miami CF soccer club co-owner and former soccer star David Beckham, both of whom are involved in high-stakes real estate deals in the city.

With Suarez's exit, the crowded Republican field has a dozen candidates, with former President Donald Trump continuing to hold a commanding lead.

Update 8/29/23, 2:39 p.m. ET: This story was updated with more background and information.