GOP Candidate Raffles Free College and More Trying to Juice Numbers, Hit Minimum Debate Threshold

Isaac SchorrJul 13th, 2023, 3:42 pm
 

Francis Suarez

Miami mayor and and longshot candidate for the Republican nomination for president Francis Suarez is taking a page out of North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum’s book in an effort to meet the donor threshold for the first GOP debate.

In order to qualify for the debate, candidates must receive contributions from 40,000 individual donors. Earlier this week, Burgum began offering $20 gift cards he’s calling “Biden Relief Cards” to anyone who helps him reach that milestone with a donation as small as $1.

Now Suarez is making a bid to show up Burgum in the donor giveaway sweepstakes, offering to enter anyone who donates $1 or more in a raffle for a free year of college, or to see soccer legend Lionel Messi play his debut match for Inter Miami.

SOS America PAC, which is supporting Suarez’s bid for the presidency, produced an A.I. generated video of Suarez explaining that the group is “giving away a free year of college, seriously,” and that “conservative Miami Mayor Francis Suarez knows the value of an education.”

“To enter now, go to www.francisfreecollege.com,” continued the deepfake of Suarez.

“Yes, seriously. Give $1 now to support @FrancisSuarez for President for your chance to win a FREE YEAR OF COLLEGE!,” added the political action committee.

Then Suarez himself tweeted that he’s “entering everyone who Venmo’s @ Suarez2024 $1 for a chance to win FRONT ROW tickets to see Lionel Messi’s debut at Inter Miami!.”

Suarez is not even listed on the RealClearPolitics polling average of the Republican primary, where even the .1% of voters supporting Burgum are presently represented.

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