Miami Mayor Francis Suarez ended his long-shot presidential bid on Tuesday after failing to qualify for last week’s first GOP primary debate in Milwaukee.
Suarez announced the news in a lengthy post on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, becoming the first GOP candidate to drop out of the race.
“Running for President of the United States has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Suarez wrote. “While I have decided to suspend my campaign for President, my commitment to making this a better nation for every American remains.”
Suarez’s campaign focused on his success as mayor in Miami, winning re-election as a Republican in one of Florida’s bluest cities. However, that did not translate into votes as he failed to make any momentum as he campaigned in early states only a few times.
Prior to the debate, Suarez told CNN that he had qualified for the debate only to backpedal a few days later, saying he would drop out if he didn’t make the stage.
“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 during a news conference at the Iowa State Fair.
Suarez’s campaign was clouded by controversy from the moment he announced. The Miami Herald reported that he had doubled his net worth to $3.4 million during his time as mayor. He makes $130,000 as mayor.
