Miami Mayor Francis Suarez has announced his suspension from running for president of the United States, marking the first candidate to leave the GOP presidential race for the 2024 election. His decision came after his inability to qualify for the first Republican debate, a contest that has been dominated by former President Donald Trump to date, according to an Associated Press report.

Suarez, who launched his campaign just two months ago, underscored his continued commitment to improving the nation for all Americans, though he did not issue an endorsement to another Republican candidate. He emphasized the importance of including and attracting more Hispanic/Latino voters in the GOP, arguing that Democrats should not take the Latino vote for granted.

As the son of Miami's first Cuban-born mayor, Suarez highlighted his Latino heritage and his experience as mayor of the city of Miami, underscoring his efforts to address issues such as crime and homelessness. He also emphasized his ability to connect the party even more with Hispanic voters.

During his brief campaign, Suarez made efforts to increase his number of donors and qualify for the debate by offering incentives such as tickets to watch soccer player Lionel Messi and a “Bidenomics Relief Card” in exchange for donations.

While Suarez has criticized Trump in the past and did not support his presidential bid in 2016 or 2020, he avoided direct criticism to the former president during his campaign and considered pardoning him. In addition, he has become a critic of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, questioning the substance of the immigration laws he signed and claiming that DeSantis has difficulties in personal relationships with other politicians.

The mayor has also faced controversy, including an FBI investigation into payments from a developer seeking licenses from the city and a gaffe regarding the Uighurs, a Muslim group in China, which he demonstrated ignorance of when questioned.

According to the Associated Press, “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”.

Overall, the suspension of Francis Suarez’s candidacy represents a turnaround in the Republican field for the 2024 presidential election as other candidates continue to compete for the party's nomination