West News Wire: Francis Suarez, the mayor of Miami, made the decision to halt his presidential candidature on Tuesday after being disqualified from the first Republican primary debate last week in Milwaukee.
One of the biggest honours of my life, according to Suarez, has been running for president of the United States. “My family and I have received so much from this country. The possibility of providing the best possible public service is inspiring, if not a calling. I’ve met so many Americans who genuinely care about our country, its people, and its future throughout this process. At the first debate last week, it was an honour to be so close to sharing the stage with the other contenders.
“While I have decided to suspend my campaign for President, my commitment to making this a better nation for every American remains,” Suarez added.
His crew had debated whether or not he would appear on stage for days prior to the decision.
In the end, despite saying differently, the Republican National Committee declared he hadn’t achieved all of its fundraising and polling objectives.
He had posted a social media video announcing his eligibility and encouraged followers to watch.
“I am so excited to be able to deliver my message of prosperity to the entire nation, to introduce myself to the nation,” he exclaimed. “Our nation and our city are about to experience an amazing time. I want each of you to participate by watching.
The mayor’s campaign also shared with the Associated Press portions of an email he said he had received from RNC staff which indicated the committee had reserved more than 100 tickets in Milwaukee for his campaign.
But the outlet later reported that the mayor’s team had omitted a portion of the email exchange which included a disclaimer that the tickets would be canceled if Suarez failed to meet the debate criteria.
The 45-year-old Suarez, who announced his candidacy in June with an ad showing him running through Miami, pitched himself as an effective leader with the youthful presence needed in the White House.
And in an effort to meet the debate criteria of 40,000 individual donors, Suarez had offered unusual rewards for people who gave his campaign a single dollar, including entrance into a raffle for tickets to Lionel Messi’s first game in Major League Soccer.
