Charlie Neibergall/AP
After failing to gain national traction, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez announced in a statement that he is suspending his campaign to run for the GOP nomination for president. This comes after Suarez did not meet the criteria to appear on stage at the first Republican debate in Milwaukee.
“It was a privilege to come so close to appearing on stage with the other candidates at last week’s first debate,” Suarez said in the statement. “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 ended by committing to work with the party: “I look forward to keeping in touch with the other Republican presidential candidates and doing what I can to make sure our party puts forward a strong nominee who can inspire and unify the country, renew Americans’ trust in our institutions and in each other, and win.”
He has famously sparred with the frontrunner in the 2024 race, former President Donald Trump, in the past. He did not vote for Trump in 2020. But, he has previously said he will support Trump if he is the eventual nominee.
This story originally appeared on NPR