There’s a gaping hole in the GOP presidential race for 2024 after former Texas congressman Will Hurd suspended his campaign. I bet I can gauge your reaction to this news — you’re probably thinking, “Oh yeah, that guy. He was running for president?”
Hurd released a lengthy statement on X (the artist formerly known as Twitter) in which he admitted that “it has become clear to me and my team that the time has come to suspend our campaign. While I appreciate all the time and energy our supporters have given, it is important to recognize the realities of the political landscape and the need to consolidate our party around one person to defeat both Donald Trump and President Biden. I urge donors, voters, and other candidates to unite around an alternative candidate to Trump.”
The problem with Hurd’s campaign is that he took the weaker of the two tacks that non-Trump candidates have taken in the campaign. While some candidates like Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) and Nikki Haley have found the approach of “We can do better than Trump, and here’s how I can be that alternative,” other candidates like Chris Christie and Mike Pence have taken the approach of “Trump is bad — and that’s it.” Hurd took the latter road, only with less name ID and fundraising prowess than either Christie or Pence, which proved to be a less-than-winning strategy.
In his statement, Hurd reminisced about starting his campaign back in June. He followed that up by inexplicably writing, “In 14 short weeks, my team and I matched the accomplishments of many of the other candidates in the race who had significantly higher name ID and cash advantage. I am honored to have had the support of the people who made this possible.”
What accomplishments did Hurd achieve? Other than the occasional media appearance, I don’t know what he can claim as an achievement. He didn’t appear in either of the debates so far, so he can’t really say that he helped to advance the conversation about where the GOP goes from here. I can’t recall any notable Will Hurd quotes from this election cycle either, so I don’t think he’s made as much of a dent in the electorate as he wants to believe.
Recommended: Drunkblogging the 2nd GOP Presidential Primary Debate
What Hurd did on his way out the door was name his endorsement for the Republican presidential nomination. No, silly, it wasn’t Donald Trump.
“Our nation deserves a leader who can unite us and navigate the complex challenges we face, particularly when it comes to our national security,” he wrote. “I believe Ambassador Nikki Haley is the best person in this race to do that. Ambassador Haley has shown a willingness to articulate a different vision for the country than Donald Trump and has an unmatched grasp on the complexities of our foreign policy. I wholeheartedly endorse Ambassador Haley and look forward to supporting her for the remainder of this race.”
While Haley is certainly deserving of Hurd’s endorsement, what difference will it make for her? I’m sure she’ll welcome all four of his supporters to the fold.
With Hurd’s departure from the scene, the GOP field gets a little less crowded, even though it won’t make a difference on the debate stage. I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of him, though; expect to see him on cable news programs weighing in on the events of the day as if people cared about his opinions in the first place.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member