• Miami Mayor Francis Suarez has filed to run for President of the United States, becoming the third Floridian to enter the race, alongside Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump.
• Suarez hinted at a potential run earlier in the week and is expected to make a formal announcement during a speech at the Reagan Presidential Foundation.
• Suarez has served as Mayor of Miami since 2017.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez filed to run for President of the United States on Wednesday, according to the Federal Election Commission’s website. With the declaration, Suarez, a Republican, becomes the third Floridian to enter the race, joining Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump.

The twice-reelected mayor spent the first half of this week hinting at a potential run, including an appearance on Fox News where he told viewers to “stay tuned” for a “big announcement.” Suarez is scheduled to speak at the Reagan Presidential Foundation tomorrow, where he could formally announce his candidacy.

“Next week I’m going to be making a big speech in the Reagan Library, and I think it’s one that Americans should tune into,” Suarez said on Fox News. “It’s one where we talk about what the future of our country should be. It should be a future that creates prosperity, not poverty.”

Suarez’s entrance into the crowded GOP primary field sees him as a long-shot candidate, alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. As of mid-June, Trump and DeSantis are polling as the Republican leaders in the race.

Suarez kicked off his political career in 2009 when he was elected as Commissioner of the City of Miami for District 4, succeeding Tomás Regalado. He was subsequently reelected unopposed in 2011 and 2015.

Since assuming the role of Mayor, Suarez has spearheaded a $400 million municipal bond initiative known as the Miami Forever Bond. This initiative aims to address the challenges posed by rising sea levels and support affordable housing in the city. In January 2019, he outlined three major governance themes: quality of life, a pathway to prosperity, and resiliency.

Moreover, he has expressed plans to abolish taxes and explore the use of blockchain technology, as exemplified by the creation of a city-specific cryptocurrency called MiamiCoin.

This is a developing story.