MIAMI — Francis Suarez, Miami’s second-term mayor, has filed papers to run in the Republican presidential primary, casting himself as a conservative problem solver as he faces an FBI probe over payments from a developer seeking help from the city.
Suarez, 45, is expected to announce his candidacy Thursday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, but papers filed with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday show he’s officially a candidate for president.
The married father of two first came to national prominence in 2020 when he was one of the first elected officials to contract COVID-19 in the early weeks of the pandemic and documented his time in isolation with the virus. He later became known for his connections to tech moguls as he pitched Miami as a more appealing alternative to Silicon Valley.
In recent weeks, he’s faced questions on his outside employment after the Miami Herald reported he was paid $10,000 a month as a consultant for developer Rishi Kapoor while Suarez’s office assisted Kapoor in resolving permitting issues with the city. The FBI recently opened a probe into the allegations, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Suarez has denied any wrongdoing, saying his work with Kapoor was related to development matters outside Miami and that his office routinely assists developers seeking help with red table. While the political leader of Miami, Suarez has no administrative power within Miami government, which is run by a city manager.
The candidacy papers follow the soft launch of Suarez’s presidential campaign by a friendly political committee.
On Wednesday, SOS America PAC released a two-minute ad painting Suarez as a law-and-order politician who strongly supports policing in the face of increased crime in American cities under President Joe Biden. The PAC is running the ads in New Hampshire, Iowa and Nevada, according to a press release.
“America needs conservative Mayor Francis Suarez for president,” said Chapin Fay, the PAC’s spokesperson, in a statement. “As our nation faces anti-police and pro-crime Democrat leadership in cities across the nation like Baltimore, Portland and New York City, the achievements of first-generation American Mayor Suarez underscore the need for immediate nationwide adoption of his approach.”
