Miami Mayor Francis Suarez officially announced his 2024 presidential campaign Thursday, joining a growing GOP primary field that includes former President Donald Trump, who is widely considered the top Republican candidate.
During an appearance on “Good Morning America” Thursday, Suarez announced his campaign, claiming that he has a “different message” than other Republican candidates. As a Cuban-American, Francis Suarez is the first Hispanic to enter the 2024 presidential race. During his announcement, he explained that the American people want a candidate who can promote unity.
Last month, Suarez told Politico he believes he can “grow the tent” by expanding the Republican voter base.
“I think it matters who is the communicator of ideas and how they communicate those ideas,” he said. “You can look at my history and know that I’m someone who’s a unifier. You can look at my history and see that I’m someone who appreciates the nuances in a variety of different Hispanic cultures.”
In a video released on social media, Suarez said he is following what his father taught him about choosing battles, by choosing the “biggest” battle of his life.
“I’m going to run for president,” Suarez said in the video. “I’m going to run for your children and mine. Let’s give them the future they deserve. It’s time to take things into our own hands. It’s time to get things started.”
With a growing Republican primary field, Suarez will be required to meet multiple qualifications in order to be part of the first Republican debate in August. To qualify for the debate, Suarez will have to poll at or above 1 percent in at least three national polls, receive donations from 40,000 different donors and receive donations from at least 200 unique donors in 20 different states or territories.
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According to Politico, Suarez already has a super PAC lined up to help boost his presidential campaign. Prior to his announcement, the super Pac SOS America announced Wednesday that it would spend a minimum of $100,000 on advertisements in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada.
“America needs conservative Mayor Francis Suarez for President,” Chapin Fay, SOS America PAC spokesperson, said in a statement. “As our nation faces anti-police and pro-crime Democrat leadership in cities across the nation like Baltimore, Portland and New York City, the achievements of first-generation American Mayor Suarez underscore the need for immediate nationwide adoption of his approach.”
