Miami Mayor Francis Suarez officially launches presidential bid for 2024 election
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is the first Latino to officially enter the crowded field of Republican presidential candidates.
Republican Miami Mayor Francis Suarez officially launched his 2024 presidential campaign on Thursday, marking his formal entry into the GOP primary for the 2024 election.
My Dad taught me that you get to choose your battles, and I am choosing the biggest one of my life.
I'm running for President.
Join me at https://t.co/Wf7fVZACkl and for just $1, help secure me a spot on the debate stage ➡️ https://t.co/MgO1RIl3jp#FXS24 pic.twitter.com/ZhKa0bQYll
— Mayor Francis Suarez (@FrancisSuarez) June 15, 2023
Suarez is the first Latino candidate to announce a presidential bid and his hometown of Miami will be pivotal in 2024. He also speaks Spanish, which sets him apart from most others in the field.
“My dad taught me that you can pick your battles and I’m picking the biggest one of my life. I’m going to run for president, I’m going to run for his children and for mine. Let’s give them the future they deserve. It’s time to take things into our own hands. It’s time to get started,” Suarez, who officially registered on Wednesday, said in a video posted Thursday morning.
Later, during a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, Suarez sought to offer an alternative to former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, without mentioning any of his fellow Floridians by name, urging Republicans to unite and reach out to Americans with Reagan’s political philosophy.
Suarez, a Cuban American, is currently in his second term as mayor of Miami, Florida’s second most populous city. Until recently, he also served as chairman of the bipartisan U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Suarez’s announcement comes as he is under investigation by the FBI and SEC for possible public corruption. Specifically, they are investigating a Miami developer to determine whether payments to Suarez constitute bribery, according to NPR.
Suarez, the first major Hispanic candidate to enter the Republican race, starts as a decided underdog in the primary, with Trump and DeSantis dominating the field in the polls.
The Republican primary also includes former Vice President Mike Pence, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.