Miami Mayor Francis Suarez has announced that he will make a “major announcement” in the coming weeks, in what is widely expected to be his candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. If he enters the race, Suarez will challenge two fellow Floridians, former President Donald Trump, who is currently the front-runner, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who declared his candidacy at the end of last month.
Speaking on “Fox News Sunday”, Suarez said, “My announcement is to stay tuned. Next week, like you said, I’m going to be making a big speech in the Reagan Library, and I think it’s one that Americans should tune into.” Suarez has been considering a presidential run for several months and has visited four of the early key states for presidential primaries, including New Hampshire.
Suarez is an up-and-coming star in the Republican Party who has attracted much attention for his pro-business policies and commitment to technological innovation. If he does enter the race, his candidacy could represent a significant challenge to the traditional Republican establishment, which is dominated by the conservative wing of the party.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez Set to Announce Candidacy for GOP Presidential Nomination
During his interview with Fox News Digital, Suarez emphasized the importance of offering voters a positive vision for the future. “You have to compete with other things, by inspiring people. You have to compete by explaining to people you have a track record of success, a vision for the future. That you can inspire people with a positive view of what their future can look like in ways other candidates can’t,” he said.
Suarez’s expected campaign announcement comes as he is facing an ethics investigation for outside payments he received for private consulting while serving as mayor. The Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust has opened an investigation into Suarez’s work for developer Rishi Kapoor, who paid him at least $170,000 since 2021. Suarez has denied any potential conflicts of interest and has accused the Miami Herald, which first reported the investigation, of liberal bias.
Suarez’s speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute in Simi Valley, California, as part of its “A Time for Choosing” speaker series, is sure to draw significant attention from Republican voters across the United States. According to the Reagan Foundation, Suarez was “elected with a mandate of 86 percent” in 2017 and then “re-elected with a mandate of nearly 79 percent” in 2021.
The Republican primary field is already crowded, with former Vice President Mike Pence and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley among the more established candidates, and multiple long-shot candidates, including Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Larry Elder. However, Suarez’s potential candidacy adds another dynamic to what is likely to be a competitive and unpredictable primary race.
In conclusion, Francis Suarez’s entry into the 2024 Republican presidential primary is likely to shake up the race and attract significant attention from voters across the country. As an up-and-coming star in the Republican Party, Suarez is renowned for his innovative policies and pro-business views. Despite facing an ethics investigation, Suarez remains optimistic about his candidacy, emphasizing the importance of inspiring voters with a positive vision for the future. His upcoming speech at the Reagan Library promises to be a major event in the Republican primary race and could shape the course of the campaign going forward.