Francis Who?

Psst…wanna take a poll? No, seriously, we have a straw poll up and running right now. We want to hear who you are backing for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. It’s only fair. After all, you read all of our opinions so we would like to hear yours. Of course, VIP readers get to sound off in the comments section. But if you aren’t a member and would like to let us know who you want to take the reins of a semi-free country, please follow this link. You will see all the familiar names that you either love or loathe, including Doug Burgum. And if we are being completely honest, I had never heard of Doug Burgum until this year. Yes, I did vote, and no, I’m not going to tell you for whom. In this election cycle no matter who you back, someone is going to come back with a list of mistakes, indiscretions, skeletons, sins, goofs, gaffes, and other disqualifiers to let you know how superior their choice is to yours. When Election Day arrives, I’ll just pull the lever for the official nominee. Or maybe I’ll write in The Lone Ranger just for fun.

One name missing from the poll is Francis Suarez. Who is Francis Suarez? He is the mayor of Miami in the “Free State of Flarida,” as Dave Rubin is wont to say. And he’s running for president. Suarez that is, not Rubin. At least not yet. Maybe I’ll write him in.

Suarez made his announcement earlier this month. His campaign slogan is “It’s Time We Get Started.” I’m not entirely certain what that means. It might have been that he kept talking about mounting a run and someone in his camp finally said, “It’s time we get started.” Or maybe it is time we get started putting the country back together again. His website doesn’t have anything in the way of a platform, although there is this introductory video:

It’s a good message, and Suarez has done some great things for his city. Frankly, I’ll vote for any solid, principled conservative for president no matter their race or sex (I’m tired of using the “g” word).  He also has the potential to appeal to Hispanic voters, something that Suarez himself says is a bonus. It will be interesting, to say the least, to see how Suarez and DeSantis match up. Will the Sunshine State be big enough for the two of them? It is worth noting that Suarez is a little late to the party and will struggle with name recognition and fundraising. And he probably needs some better campaign aides. Should he somehow overcome the Trump/DeSantis factor, Suarez will have world events with which to contend. That means staying on top of things and avoiding moments like this:

Hugh Hewitt: “Will you be talking about the Uyghurs in your campaign?”

2024 GOP presidential candidate Francis Suarez: “What's a Uyghur?” pic.twitter.com/AlRkjZCJyK

— The Recount (@therecount) June 27, 2023

“What’s a Uyghur?” may be an acceptable answer on Jeopardy! but not when one is on the air with Hugh Hewitt. Fellow candidate Nikki Haley had a cogent response to the issue of the Uyghur genocide when recently asked, so Suarez will need to up his game a notch or three. And the Uyghur genocide is horrific and a reminder of just who China really is. We need a president who is going to take China seriously.

Related: Can President DeSantis or Trump End Birthright Citizenship?

Of course, we know that in the end, it will probably come down to Trump vs. DeSantis. And Suarez is going to have his hands full just making it to the debate stage. That aside, one of the advantages the GOP has over the Democrats is that there is a wide field of candidates, which means a range of ideas and points of view. Theoretically, conservatives have options as opposed to having party heads dictate who will be president.

All that having been said, please take a moment to take the poll. And if you would like to make your voice heard on these pages, consider becoming a VIP member. Along with the opportunity to comment on articles you will also enjoy access to all of our content, including our podcasts. Use promo code SAVEAMERICA for a 50% discount.

Oh, and remember: The Lone Ranger in 2024.