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Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who did not qualify for the first Republican presidential debate, announced Tuesday that he’s dropping out of the race for the White House.
“While I have decided to suspend my campaign for President, my commitment to making this a better nation for every American remains,” Suarez said on social media.
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Suarez met the GOP’s debate threshold of 40,000 donors after his campaign promised contributors $20 gift cards and the chance to win tickets to Lionel Messi’s first game with Inter Miami. But he did not meet the RNC’s polling criteria, Politico reported.
Suarez said at the Iowa State Fair that if a candidate doesn’t meet the minimum requirements for the debate, they should drop out of the race.
“I agree that if you can’t meet the minimum thresholds, you shouldn’t be trying to take the time involved away from being productive,” he said.
Suarez, the only Hispanic candidate in the Republican field, launched his bid for president in June, leaning on a tough-on-crime stance. He became the third Floridian to join the crowded GOP primary, after former President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis, and was considered a long shot for winning the White House.