Will Hurd suspended his candidacy for president for the Republican Party. The former congressman made the announcement on Monday and became the second GOP candidate to do so after Francis Suarez dropped out in September. In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), he revealed the reasons behind the decision and officially endorsed Nikki Haley to take the party's nomination.
Hurd, who represented Texas in the House of Representatives and was a CIA agent, had announced his candidacy in June, arguing that "the Republican Party can be the party that talks about the future, not the past." He immediately joined the group of anti-Trump candidates, along with Chris Christie and Asa Hutchinson.
After failing to qualify for either of the first two Republican debates. The now-former candidate decided to step aside and renounce his candidacy.
When I first entered the Republican presidential primary field in June, I knew I was a dark horse candidate with a path to victory that would contain many obstacles. But as I traveled across the country, I met so many Americans who believed in my campaign’s message of unity and…
— Will Hurd (@WillHurd) October 9, 2023
"Unfortunately, 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. 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," he wrote.
Unlike Suarez, Hurd took advantage of the message to officially endorse another candidate, in this case, Nikki Haley. The former governor of South Carolina established herself in third place in the polls, behind Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis.
"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. 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," Hurd concluded.
