Long shot presidential hopeful Will Hurd announced Monday night that he is dropping out of the 2024 Republican race and endorsing former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley.
The Republican primary field, which most see as a race for second place, is finally shrinking as political strategists say the smartest move is for the Party to get behind one candidate to take on Donald Trump.
But there are still 12 candidates in the contest – leading to worry from anti-MAGA Republicans that Trump will be the nominee yet again.
Hurd exited the race after Miami Mayor Francis Suarez also ended his campaign in August when he failed to qualify for the first debate. They are the only two candidates so far to drop out.
The former U.S. congressman from Texas struggled to gain popularity since launching his bid and didn’t meet the polling qualifications to reach the stage for either of the first two primary debates in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in August and Simi Valley, California in September. He did, however, meet the donor thresholds.
Hurd coincided his campaign’s suspension with his backing of Haley, whom he claims is uniquely positioned to deal with ‘the complexities of our foreign policy.’
Former congressman from Texas Will Hurd suspended his campaign for president on Monday evening
Hurd endorsed former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley upon suspending his own campaign and urged his former competitors to do the same
‘America is at a crossroads and it’s time to come together and make Joe Biden a one-term president. Thank you Will Hurd for your support and confidence. We have a country to save!’ Haley wrote on Twitter after she received the former candidate’s endorsement.
Besides making a lengthy post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Hurd also penned an op/ed in the Wall Street Journal that ran Monday evening and detailed his decision to back Haley.
‘I’ve always tried to follow my own advice, which is why I have suspended my campaign for president to support Nikki Haley,’ Hurd wrote. ‘Our nation deserves a leader who can unite us and navigate the complex challenges we face, particularly on national security.’
‘Ms. Haley is the best person in this race to do that. I encourage donors, fellow candidates, Republican elected officials, conservative influencers and anyone worried about our republic to support her too.’
He warned that if the Party waits too long, ‘we will anoint Mr. Trump as the leader of our party.’
Haley, once the governor of South Carolina, has seen a boost in polling following her first two debate performances that saw her solidify her spot as part of the two three contenders in the ‘race for second place’ with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
These three were center stage at the second debate last month considering their polling is the highest among the seven who were on stage.
DeSantis had an early polling lead that many thought indicated he was the only one that could take on Trump – but some surveys show him slipping all the way to fifth place.
Hurd wrote that it’s a ‘fallacy’ to think that ‘DeSantis can rise from the ashes and beat Mr. Trump.’
There are still 11 candidates vying for the Republican presidential nomination against far frontrunner Donald Trump
‘The prevailing narrative has been that the Florida governor is the only person suited for the job,’ he continued in his WSJ op/ed. ‘It’s time to accept that despite having a name-recognition advantage and an impressive war chest, Mr. DeSantis is a flawed candidate who has failed to establish himself as an alternative to Mr. Trump.’
Hurd essentially admitted that since launching his campaign in June, he was aware it was a longshot that he would ever earn the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
‘Unfortunately, it has become clear to me and my team that the time has come to suspend our campaign,’ Hurd wrote on X Monday evening. ‘While I appreciate all the time and energy our supporters have given, it is important to recognize the realities of the political landscape and the need to consolidate our party around one person to defeat both Donald Trump and President Biden.’
He urged his competitors, donors and overall the American voters to ‘unite’ around a single alternative nominee to Trump – and said he hopes that could be Haley.
The contenders still vying for the nomination are Trump, DeSantis, Ramaswamy, Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Vice President Mike Pence, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Dallas-based businessman Ryan Binkley, conservative radio host Larry Elder and Michigan businessman Perry Johnson.
Hutchinson was on-stage for the first debate, but was the only one who was at the first who did not qualify for the second.
The rest of the candidates in the field are still considered far longshots.
‘Ambassador Haley has shown a willingness to articulate a different vision for the country than Donald Trump and has an unmatched grasp on the complexities of our foreign policy,’ Hurd wrote on X.
‘I wholeheartedly endorse Ambassador Haley and look forward to supporting her for the remainder of this race.’