So long, Suarez, as Miami mayor first GOP candidate for President to drop out

Four years ago, I was busy writing about the Democratic candidates for President, especially when they dropped out. My favorite was Ta-ta, Tulsi, as Gabbard gives up, which was one of the most commented on entries during the tenth year of this blog. Other than Marianne Williamson and Nikki Haley, two women running for President on International Women's Day, I haven't written much about the current crop of candidates. I didn't even post a drinking game for the first Republican debate last week. My excuse was that I was busy grading final exams. I'll see if I can muster the energy to post something before the next debate.

Not making the debate already had an effect on one candidate, as the Los Angeles Times reported Miami Mayor Francis Suarez suspends 2024 GOP presidential bid after failing to qualify for debate.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is ending his bid for the presidency, dropping out of the 2024 race after failing to qualify for the first Republican debate.

I'm not surprised. It's difficult to get attention in this field, especially with Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, Chris Christie, and, of course, Donald Trump all running. Suarez was also a bad fit for the party, or at least its primary electorate, as On The Issues rated him as a Centrist.


He's too moderate and pragmatic to be a good fit for the Republican primary electorate. It made him stand out, as the next graphic I took from On The Issues shows.


Suarez stood out, and not a good way for the people who he wanted to vote for him. Now that he's left the contest, only conservatives remain running for the Republican nomination.

Since Suarez didn't qualify for a debate, I'm not bothering to find a drink for him. I have enough work finding drinks for the other candidates.