Republican 2024 race loses its FIRST candidate: Miami Mayor Francis Suarez drops out after polling at below 1% and failing in bid to qualify for GOP debate by raffling Lionel Messi tickets

The Republican presidential race has seen its first candidate drop out: Miami Mayor Francis Suarez on Tuesday announced he was suspending his campaign.

‘While I have decided to suspend my campaign for President, my commitment to making this a better nation for every American remains,’ he said in a statement.

Suarez failed to make last week’s presidential debate even after trying various gimmicks to make the cut, including raffling tickets to see soccer star Lionel Messi in his Miami debut. 

He had not even made 1 per cent in the polls. 

‘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,’ Suarez said. 

‘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.’

He also vowed to ‘continue to amplify the voices of the Hispanic community – the fastest-growing voting group in our country. The Left has taken Hispanics for granted for far too long, and it is no surprise that so many are finding a home in America’s conservative movement.’

The 45-year-old mayor was the only Hispanic candidate in the race. His name has been floated as a vice presidential contender. 

He vowed to support the eventual Republican presidential nominee and to keep in touch with all the contenders. 

Suarez, the son of the city’s first Cuba-born mayor, was the third Floridan to enter the race after Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis.

More than a dozen candidates remain in the race for the right to challenge Joe Biden in next year’s general election. Trump leads the field by double digits in almost all polls. 

Suarez tried several ways to boost his presidential bid, including Lionel Messi‘s Inter Miami debut.

Messi was officially unveiled as an Inter Miami player in a glitzy ceremony led by co-owner David Beckham in July.

And Suarez, who launched a long-shot campaign in a quickly widening GOP field in June, looked to capitalize on the global superstar’s arrival in Miami. 

In a bid to secure enough donors to make the first Republican primary debate, which ultimately failed, the Mayor announced that he would be raffling off Inter Miami tickets. 

While speaking at Turning Point Action Conference one month into his campaign, Suarez said: ‘If anyone wants to see Lionel Messi’s first game… just give a $1 to Venmo, @ Suarez2024… we’re giving away two tickets to see him on the front row.’

 

He later shared the clip and tweeted about the Messi-debut raffle, encouraging people to contribute a dollar to enter the draw to win the front row seats. 

But he failed to make the cut. Candidates needed to satisfy polling and donor requirements set by the Republican National Committee: at least 1% in three high-quality national polls or a mix of national and early-state polls and a minimum of 40,000 donors with 200 in 20 or more states in order to be in the debate. 

Suarez is the president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He was attempting to become the first mayor and first Hispanic to be elected president.

He has gained national attention in recent years for his efforts to lure companies to Miami, with an eye toward turning the city into a crypto hub and the next Silicon Valley.

Suarez, who is married with two young children, is a corporate and real estate attorney who previously served as a city of Miami commissioner.