Miami Mayor Francis Suarez announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday, June 15, jumping into the crowded race just days after GOP front-runner Donald Trump appeared in court on federal charges in Suarez’s city.
The 45-year-old mayor, the only Hispanic candidate in the race, declared his candidacy in paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday. He had previously teased an announcement, noting that he would be making a “big speech” on Thursday at the Reagan Library in California.
Announcing his run on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Thursday, Suarez repeatedly tried to avoid answering questions about Trump’s behavior and the charges in his indictment, saying he didn’t know “all the details about how he handled classified information.”
When reminded that he was running against Trump, Francis Suarez replied, “You see, that’s where you’re wrong. I’m running to be the president of the United States, and I’m running against Joe Biden’s America — an America where the poor get poorer, an America where America gets weaker, an America where if things don’t change China will be the lone superpower. That’s what I’m running for.”
Francis Suarez 2024 Announcement Video “I’m Running”
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, the son of Miami’s first Cuban-born mayor, has attracted national attention for his efforts to attract companies to Miami and transform the city into a crypto hub akin to Silicon Valley. He is now seeking the Republican presidential nomination, aiming to become the first sitting mayor elected as President. Joining a crowded GOP primary race that includes Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, the contest is widely viewed as a two-person battle between Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis.
Despite a double-digit field of candidates, Suarez’s competitors are hoping for an opportunity presented by Trump’s numerous legal vulnerabilities, particularly his federal indictment on charges of mishandling sensitive documents and refusing to return them. Trump pleaded not guilty to 37 felony counts in a Miami federal court on Tuesday.
Before Trump’s arrival at the Miami courthouse, Suarez toured the media encampment wearing a T-shirt with a police logo, symbolizing the jurisdiction of Miami’s police force in the downtown area.
In the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, Francis Suarez did not support Trump and instead wrote in the names of US Senator Marco Rubio and then-Vice President Pence. In 2018, Suarez publicly criticized Trump after reports emerged of Trump questioning why the US would accept more immigrants from Haiti and Africa, using vulgar language.
However, times have changed, and Trump advisers now praise Suarez’s work, helping him promote what he refers to as “the Miami success story.” Former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway has even suggested Suarez as a potential vice presidential candidate.
Married with two young children, Suarez is a corporate and real estate attorney who previously served as a Miami city commissioner. He has positioned himself as someone who can enhance the party’s connection with Hispanic voters. Recently, he has visited early GOP voting states as part of his consideration for a possible 2024 campaign.
SOS America PAC, Supporters of Francis Suarez, Launch First 2024 Campaign Ad in New Hampshire, Iowa, and Nevada
Supporters of Miami’s conservative Mayor Francis Suarez have launched SOS America PAC and made a significant ad buy in New Hampshire, Iowa, and Nevada. The PAC aims to promote Mayor Suarez’s candidacy for President, highlighting his achievements and advocating for the adoption of his approach nationwide.
According to Chapin Fay, spokesperson for SOS America PAC, the nation requires Mayor Suarez’s conservative leadership, especially in light of anti-police and pro-crime Democrat leadership in cities like Baltimore, Portland, and New York City. Mayor Suarez’s accomplishments, as a first-generation American, emphasize the urgent need for his approach to be implemented across the country.
Under Mayor Suarez’s tough-on-crime and pro-law enforcement stance, Miami has experienced its lowest homicide rate since the 1950s and the lowest homelessness rate since 2013. Additionally, Miami’s economy has thrived, boasting the nation’s lowest unemployment rate at 1.4%. Mayor Suarez’s fiscal policies have resulted in the city’s lowest tax rate since the 1960s, the creation of 8,000 new jobs, and an additional $1 billion in wages for Miami’s economy.
The success of Mayor Suarez’s Miami Model demonstrates its effectiveness, and it is now crucial for the rest of the country to embrace this approach. The call is for America to recognize the need for conservative Mayor Francis Suarez as President.