Dem
51
GOP
49
Remember back in 2012, when there was a new Republican frontrunner every few weeks? It was Newt Gingrich for a while, and then Michele Bachmann had some momentum, and then maybe Rick Perry, and then Herman Cain? We have to assume that this is what these longshot candidates are thinking about when they throw their hat into the ring. Maybe, just maybe, they'll rise to the top just before the game of musical chairs stops, and thus seize the nomination.
The previous paragraph is our attempt at giving Will Hurd credit for being not totally nutty, and for maybe having some theory of how a 2024 presidential bid might just have worked out OK for him. Although even the "repeat of 2012 + some luck" theory has the problem that the 2012 Republican primary did not feature a runaway frontrunner, while the 2024 Republican primary does. Really, for Hurd to declare his candidacy this year was more akin to running for the Democratic nomination in 2012. Anyone who did that was sure to be squashed like a bug by Barack Obama, which is why no serious candidate even bothered.
In any event, and entirely predictably, Hurd never caught on, since he's a lousy fit for the modern Republican Party. He never made it to a debate stage, never registered in the polls, never gained any traction whatsoever. Even if his real goal was to audition for a talking head gig on CNN, he didn't make any meaningful progress. And now, presumably having burned through both dollars he collected in donations, he's out.
On his way out the door (down the chute?), Hurd endorsed Nikki Haley as his favored candidate. Makes sense, since she's running (mostly) in the traditional Republican lane. Assuming Hurd commands the absolute loyalty of his supporters, then that's a nice, tidy 0.25% of the GOP vote Haley can add to her total, leaving her a mere 39.75% behind Donald Trump. Progress! And now, we wait to see which Republican presidential "candidate" will be the third to see the light, now that Mayor Francis Suarez (R-Miami) and Hurd have done so. We're looking at you, Larry Elder and Perry Johnson. (Z)