Miami Mayor Francis Suarez did not qualify to appear on stage for Wednesday’s GOP debate in Wisconsin, according to a Fox News report.
Earlier Wednesday, the Miami Herald editorial board released an editorial suggesting Suarez should reconsider his presidential aspirations.
The publication’s editorial referenced Suarez’s own words to buttress their position.
“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,” Suarez told reporters August 11 during the Iowa State Fair.
“I don’t think candidates should just sort of linger around,” he added, “if they don’t have a credible path.”
The criteria set by the Republican National Committee for participation in the debate required candidates to have a minimum of 40,000 donors with at least 200 donors in 20 or more states.
Candidates also needed to poll at 1% in at least three national polls or a combination of national and early-state polls. Suarez successfully met the donor requirement but not the necessary amount of poll support.
The Miami Herald editorial board opined their city mayor should refocus on his mayoral responsibilities.
“Staying in the race is a fruitless exercise that takes time away from Suarez’s mayoral duties,” the Herald editorial stated.
It also highlighted Suarez’s potential as a representative of the future of the Republican Party, describing him as “young, Hispanic and a mayor in the nation’s third-largest state.”
The editorial board questioned his preparedness for the presidential role, especially given his association with Miami’s emerging tech sector.
During a radio interview on June 27, Suarez seemed uncertain when questioned about the Uyghurs, a minority group that has faced persecution by the Chinese government.
Additionally, there are ongoing investigations into Suarez’s relationship with businessman Rishi Kapoor, who paid Suarez $170,000 in consulting fees while having business dealings with the city.
Suarez has also been the subject of an ethics complaint for accepting VIP tickets to the Formula One race in Miami and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, according to the Fox report.
“Is running for president just a vanity project, or is Miami’s ambitious mayor more concerned in using his bid as a jumping-off point for his next lucrative gig?” the Miami newspaper asked. “Either way, he should call it a day.”
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