Miami Mayor joins GOP presidential race after Trump indictment

The only Hispanic in the primary contest, Suarez has worked to bolster the party's standing with members of his demographic.

By Ben Whedon

Published: June 14, 2023 5:49pm

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez filed the paperwork on Wednesday to seek the Republican nomination for president in 2024, pitting him against fellow Floridian, Gov. Ron DeSantis, and former President Donald Trump, who resides primarily in the Sunshine State.

Suarez's entry into the race further crowds the primary field, which also includes former Govs. Nikki Haley, S.C.; Chris Christie, N.J.; and Asa Hutchinson, Ark.; Sen. Tim Scott, S.C.; former Vice President Mike Pence, North Dakota Gov. Doug Bergum, Radio host Larry Elder, and tech mogul Vivek Ramaswamy.

The Miami mayor is in his second term and has overseen considerable efforts to draw tech companies to the city, which has aimed to offer itself as an alternative to Silicon Valley, the Associated Press reported.

The only Hispanic in the primary contest, Suarez has worked to bolster the party's standing with members of his demographic. The area has trended Republican in recent years and Miami-Dade County, which includes the city, broke for Gov. Ron DeSantis during his 2022 re-election effort. Suarez, for his part, overwhelmingly secured reelection in 2021 with 78.6% of the vote.

His name has reportedly been floated as a potential vice presidential candidate.

Suarez's filing of paperwork to run comes the same week that Trump faced arraignment in a Miami courthouse on federal charges and pleaded not guilty.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.