Conservative radio host Larry Elder has ended his 2024 presidential campaign and announced he is endorsing President Donald Trump for the GOP nomination instead.
In a statement announcing his move, Elder called on his supporters to “unite behind [Trump] to beat Joe Biden!”
Elder launched his presidential campaign in April, but low fundraising hauls and near-zero numbers in the polls made his 2024 bid one of the biggest longshots in the crowded GOP field.
He previously ran against California’s Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom in a failed 2021 recall effort.
The conservative commentator said he is “proud” to endorse Trump, praising the 45th president’s conservative leadership.
“Now that I am exiting the race, I am proud to announce my endorsement of Donald Trump for President of the United States,” Elder said in a statement.
“His leadership has been instrumental in advancing conservative, America-first principles and policies that have benefited our great nation.
“We must unite behind Donald Trump to beat Joe Biden and fight back against Biden’s unprecedented election interference and the left’s destruction of America.”
It's time to unite behind @realDonaldTrump to beat Joe Biden! pic.twitter.com/VXw6pyem2d
— Larry Elder (@larryelder) October 26, 2023
After suspending his campaign, Elder said he met with the former president to personally give him his endorsement.
Honored to have just met with @realDonaldTrump to lend him my endorsement for President. I am grateful for the support I received from so many of you across the country. Statement below: pic.twitter.com/1LE9PMtv7c
— Larry Elder (@larryelder) October 26, 2023
Elder launched his presidential bid to address “the biggest issues” facing the American people.
He defined the issues as “the crisis of fatherlessness, the dangerous lie that America is systemically racist, the need for an amendment to the constitution to set federal spending to a fixed percentage of the GDP — otherwise government gets bigger whether Republicans or Democrats are in charge, and the need to remove the Soros-backed DAs across the country who refuse to enforce the law.”
Elder previously criticized Republican Party rules that kept him off the debate stage.
He argued that the debates were “rigged.”
The conservative host also threatened to sue the RNC to “halt” the first debate in August.
Elder argued that GOP leaders were “afraid of having [his] voice on the debate stage.”
Elder is the fourth long-shot Republican candidate to drop out of the 2024 presidential race.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and former Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) were the first to drop out.
Michigan businessman Perry Johnson also exited the race last week before he endorsed Trump.
Hurd endorsed former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.
Haley is currently jostling with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for distant second place behind Trump in the polls.
The Californian added that while he is dropping out of the presidential race, he remains committed to fighting for conservative values.
“Although I am suspending my campaign for president, my commitment to addressing the crisis of fatherlessness, promoting conservative ideals, and supporting the MAGA movement remains unwavering,” Elder said.
“I will continue to work tirelessly to advocate for the issues that matter most to the American people.”
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