Republican presidential candidate Will Hurd made a surprising announcement on Monday, suspending his 2024 campaign and throwing his support behind former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley. Hurd, a former House lawmaker from Texas and a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, believes that Haley is the strongest candidate in the GOP primary field.
“Unfortunately, it has become clear to me and my team that the time has come to suspend our campaign,” Mr. Hurd wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“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 [Joe] Biden.”
The former Congressman warned that “errors” in the 2016 presidential race should not be repeated.
“I urge donors, voters, and other candidates to unite around an alternative candidate to Trump,” Mr. Hurd wrote. “Otherwise, we will repeat the same errors as in 2016. If the Republican party nominates Donald Trump or the various personalities jockeying to imitate his divisive, crass behavior, we will lose.”
Mr. Hurd launched his 2024 White House bid in June, promising to bring “common-sense leadership.” In 2022, he toured the country to promote his book, “American Reboot: An Idealist’s Guide to Getting Big Things Done.”
Mr. Hurd, who served as a House lawmaker representing Texas’s 23rd Congressional District from 2015 to 2021, has a background as a CIA agent from 2000 to 2009.
Late on Monday night, President Trump responded to Mr. Hurd’s decision to pull out of the race, saying the former congressman “truly doesn’t have what it takes” in a statement on his Truth Social account.
“It’s about time! Will Hurd, the failed former Congressman from the great State of Texas, who decided not to run for Congress again because he did an ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE JOB (ZERO Personality!), and couldn’t win, has just now decided to drop out of the 2024 Presidential Campaign,” President Trump wrote. “Luckily for him, he couldn’t make the Debate Stage, but went out with a bang.”
Mr. Hurd did not qualify for the first and second Republican presidential debates. After failing to meet the criteria needed for the first debate, Mr. Hurd criticized the Republican National Committee (RNC) for adopting “arbitrary, unclear” poll standards that lacked “consistency.”
Republican presidential candidate former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley delivers remarks during the FOX Business Republican Primary Debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., on Sept. 27, 2023. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
2024 Race
Mr. Hurd believes that Nikki Haley is the best Republican candidate to address the national security challenges facing the United States.
“Our nation deserves a leader who can unite us and navigate the complex challenges we face, particularly when it comes to our national security. I believe Ambassador Nikki Haley is the best person in this race to do that,” Mr. Hurd wrote.
He continued: “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.”
Ms. Haley expressed gratitude to the former congressman for his “support and confidence.”
“America is at a crossroads and it’s time to come together and make Joe Biden a one-term president,” she wrote. “We have a country to save!”
Ms. Haley is currently trailing frontrunner President Trump in the GOP field, according to the latest national poll from Cygnal. President Trump leads with 58 percent of support, followed by entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy with 10 percent.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has 9 percent of support, while former Vice President Mike Pence and Ms. Haley each have 5 percent.
In a hypothetical two-way race, President Trump and President Biden are tied at 45 percent.
In a hypothetical race with independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, President Trump holds a 1-percentage-point lead over President Biden with 40 percent of support. Twelve percent of respondents supported Mr. Kennedy.
Mr. Hurd is not the first Republican candidate to suspend his presidential campaign. In August, Miami’s Republican Mayor Francis Suarez dropped out of the 2024 race, less than three months after filing paperwork for the GOP presidential nomination.
What factors led to Will Hurd’s decision to suspend his presidential campaign and endorse Nikki Haley?
Hurd’s decision to suspend his presidential campaign and endorse Nikki Haley comes as a surprise to many in the Republican party. As a former House lawmaker from Texas and a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, Hurd had positioned himself as a moderate alternative to the Trump-centric GOP. However, after careful consideration, Hurd believes that Haley is the strongest candidate in the GOP primary field and the best chance for the party to defeat both Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.
In a statement released on Monday, Hurd explained his decision to suspend his campaign: “Unfortunately, it has become clear to me and my team that the time has come to suspend our campaign.” Hurd acknowledged the realities of the political landscape and stressed the importance of consolidating the party around one candidate.
Hurd went on to emphasize the need to learn from the mistakes made in the 2016 presidential race, hinting at the division within the Republican party that ultimately led to Trump’s victory. By endorsing Haley, Hurd hopes to unite the party and avoid a similar outcome in the upcoming election.
Haley, a former U.N. ambassador, is widely respected within the Republican party and has a strong conservative record. Her experience on the international stage and her ability to navigate complex diplomatic issues have earned her praise from both Republicans and Democrats alike.
With Hurd’s endorsement, Haley gains a significant boost in credibility and support within the GOP. His decision to suspend his campaign and endorse her sends a clear message to other Republican candidates that Haley is the preferred choice of the party establishment.
It remains to be seen how this endorsement will impact the Republican primary race and the 2024 presidential election. However, Hurd’s decision highlights the growing divide within the Republican party between those who support Trump and those who believe the party needs to move in a different direction.
As the primary season progresses, it is likely that more endorsements will be made and alliances will be formed. The race for the Republican nomination is only beginning, and the outcome is still uncertain. But with Hurd’s endorsement, Nikki Haley has gained an influential ally and has positioned herself as a frontrunner in the race for the White House.
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