Republicans are doubtful that Miami Mayor Francis Suarez’s (R) entrance into the 2024 primary will have much of an effect as he looks to take on two leading candidates who also hail from his state: former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).
Suarez’s announcement earlier this week did not come as a big surprise, as he had been teasing a campaign for weeks. But his relatively low profile, not to mention his more moderate political record, has left his party confused.
Even Suarez’s hometown paper, The Miami Herald, called his candidacy “a head-scratcher.”
Some Republicans have suggested he could be angling for vice president, especially since he’s a Latino politician at a time when the party is determined to court more voters in that demographic. Whatever the case, most observers are skeptical of his candidacy, while others are outright hostile.