Trump Celebrates as Second GOP Presidential Candidate Drops Out: 'About Time!'
Former President Donald Trump celebrated the news of Republican presidential hopeful Will Hurd’s decision to drop out of the race on Monday.
Hurd issued a lengthy statement on social media in which he announced he was suspending his campaign and endorsing former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.
On his Truth Social account, Trump skewered Hurd, who in 2020 decided against another re-election bid to Congress in Texas after he won his 2018 campaign by fewer than 1,000 votes.
“It’s about time!” the former president and leading 2024 GOP contender said. “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 where he, likewise, drew ‘flies!’”
He went on to refer to Haley as “Birdbrain” after calling Hurd “nasty.”
“He is a nasty and jealous guy, who truly doesn’t have what it takes,” Trump said. “Luckily for him, he couldn’t make the Debate Stage, but went out with a bang – He endorsed Birdbrain!”
Hurd is the second candidate who failed to qualify for the debate stage to drop out of the race.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez suspended his campaign in August.
Neither Suarez nor Hurd showed up Tuesday in the Real Clear Politics polling averages, which showed nine other GOP candidates.
Trump led with just over 57 percent in the polling, while Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was second with almost 13 percent.
Haley was in third place with about 7 percent.
While announcing he was suspending his campaign, Hurd said it was “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.”
“If the Republican party nominates Donald Trump or the various personalities jockeying to imitate his divisive, crass behavior, we will lose,” he added.
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
In his endorsement of Haley, Hurd said the country needs a leader who can “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,” Hurd said.
He concluded, “I wholeheartedly endorse Ambassador Haley and look forward to supporting her for the remainder of this race.”
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