Hurd drops out of 2024 GOP race, endorses Haley

Republican presidential candidate Will Hurd announced Monday that he was dropping out of the 2024 GOP primary and endorsing former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley instead.

“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,” Hurd, a former Texas congressman, said in a statement posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

“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,” he said.

“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.

Haley thanked Hurd for his endorsement in a post on X.

“America is at a crossroads and it’s time to come together and make Joe Biden a one-term president. Thank you @WillHurd for your support and confidence. We have a country to save!” she said. 

Hurd’s decision to drop out came after the Texas Republican failed to meet the criteria needed to qualify for the first and second GOP debates. Hurd has also largely been trailing his 2024 rivals in national and local polling.

Hurd was among a small number of anti-Trump critics running in the Republican presidential primary. Hurd and former Govs. Asa Hutchinson (Ark.) and Chris Christie (N.J.) have all been critical of the former president and trail other Republican rivals like Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Though Christie has performed better in New Hampshire, the polling has underscored the reality that anti-Trump messaging has not resonated with the GOP electorate at large. 

Hurd’s decision also underscores how the race is already being viewed by some Republicans and donors as a two-person race between Haley and DeSantis to become the chief rival to former President Trump, who holds a comfortable lead in national and local polling over all of his rivals.

Updated at 7:09 p.m.