对于迈阿密市长弗朗西斯·苏亚雷斯来说，政治动力是家族遗传。

苏亚雷斯是两个古巴流亡者的儿子，当他第一次和他的父亲哈维尔·苏亚雷斯一起参加竞选活动时，他只有两岁，他的父亲后来在1985年当选为迈阿密的第一位古巴裔美国市长。弗朗西斯·苏亚雷斯在32年后当选为同样的职位，他告诉美国广播公司新闻，他小时候的经历塑造了他。

“有些时候，你喜欢它，喜欢以积极的方式影响人们生活的能力。有时候你会对自己说，‘这太疯狂了。“为什么会有人卷入这件事，””他说但同时也是你看到影响的美好时光。"

这位共和党人说，是这种动力促使他决定参加总统竞选。当苏亚雷斯开始他的竞选活动，阐述他的信仰和政策时，他强调，他会像他父亲对他一样，保持家庭的亲密。

苏亚雷斯说，他是共和党人，因为他相信小政府和强大国防等理想。然而，他声称，一个主要问题是人们“花80%的时间关注我们不同意的20%的事情。”

苏亚雷斯说，去年担任美国市长会议主席后，他对竞选总统更感兴趣，并在全国和世界各地旅行，与人们见面。

他说:“我感到对这个国家有一种深深的责任感，这个国家给了我一切，给了我父母一切，给了我的社区这么多。”

苏亚雷斯的家人也直接参与了他过去的竞选活动，走上街头，争取选票，宣传他的政策。

2023年7月16日，迈阿密市长弗朗西斯·苏亚雷斯在佛罗里达州西棕榈滩发表演讲。

伊娃·玛丽乌斯卡特吉/彭博通过盖蒂图片，文件

在2013年的市长竞选中，苏亚雷斯陷入了争议，涉及到他的工作人员，包括他自己的家庭成员，这场竞选最终结束了。

埃斯特万“史蒂夫”苏亚雷斯，弗朗西斯苏亚雷斯的表弟和2013年市长竞选经理，以及竞选工作人员胡安巴勃罗巴吉尼对与缺席投票申请伪造签名有关的指控认罪。

两人都被判缓刑。

泽维尔·苏亚雷斯(Xavier Suarez)因被指控试图影响一名证人而接受调查，但检察官从未对他提出指控。

苏亚雷斯引用妻子怀孕作为退出的原因，并声称在他发现怀孕的同一周，他的竞选出现了“失误”。

“我只是觉得这会给她造成潜在的压力。如果，上帝保佑，孩子出了什么事，那将是我的责任，”他声称。

市长弗朗西斯·苏亚雷斯接受美国广播公司新闻直播采访。

美国广播公司新闻

苏亚雷斯将在四年后争取这个席位，并获得该市85%的选票。

如果当选，苏亚雷斯将成为第一位拉美裔美国总统。他说，他的优势之一是他能与人沟通，这是他在任时从父亲那里学到的。

他回忆起父亲从市政厅回家后和他一起打两个小时篮球的时光。

“当时，他似乎没有做什么特别的事情，但现在我明白了这是多么大的牺牲。他一定是累坏了，”苏亚雷斯说。

市长是两个孩子的已婚父亲，他说他意识到要平衡工作和家庭生活，并成为一名民选官员。

他说，他发现和妻子一起看电影或喝一杯酒是很放松的时光。

“我们生活的强度如此之大，以至于当我们重新联系并共度时光时，对我来说总是很有趣。除此之外，我没有多少奢侈品，”他说。

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez talks about how family fuels his political drive

For Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, political drive runs in the family.

The son of two Cuban exiles, Suarez was just 2 years old when he first hit the campaign trail with his father Xavier Suarez, who was later elected as the first Cuban-American mayor of Miami in 1985. Francis Suarez, who was elected to the same position 32 years later, told ABC News that the experiences he had as a child have shaped him.

"There are moments where you love it and you love the ability to impact people's lives in a positive manner. And there are moments where you think to yourself, 'This is crazy. Why would anybody get involved in this?'" he said. "But then also the wonderful times where you see the impact."

The Republican said that drive is what has pushed him to throw his hat into the presidential race. As Suarez sets off on his campaign, stumping his beliefs and policies, he stressed that he, as his father did with him, will keep his family close.

Suarez said he is a Republican because he believes in ideals such as small government and a strong national defense. However, he claimed that a major problem is that people "spend 80% of the time focusing on the 20% of the things that we disagree on."

Suarez said he got more interested in running for president after serving as the president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors last year and traveling around the country and the world to meet people.

"And I felt a sense, a deep sense of obligation to this country that has given me everything, given my parents everything and given my community so much," he said.

Suarez's family also was directly involved in his past campaigns, hitting the streets, getting out the vote and promoting his policies.

During his 2013 mayoral campaign Suarez ran into controversy involving his staffers, including his own family member, and that run ultimately came to an end.

Esteban "Steve" Suarez, Francis Suarez's cousin and 2013 mayoral campaign manager, and campaign staffer Juan Pablo Baggini pleaded guilty to misdemeanors over charges related to forged signatures for absentee ballot applications.

Both men were sentenced to probation.

Xavier Suarez was investigated for allegations that he tried to influence a witness as part of that investigation, but prosecutors never charged him.

Suarez cited his wife's pregnancy as the reason for dropping out and claimed the same week he found out about the pregnancy that his campaign had a "misstep."

"And I just thought that it would create potential stresses on her. And if, God forbid, something were to happen to the baby, it would be something that I would feel responsible for," he claimed.

Suarez would try for the seat four years later and get 85% of the city's vote.

Suarez, who would be the first Latino-American president if elected, said one of his strengths is that he can connect with people, and he learned that from his father while growing up when he was in office.

He recalled times when his father would come home from City Hall and play basketball with him for two hours.

"And at the time, it didn't seem like he was doing anything extraordinary, but now I see how much of a sacrifice it was. He must have been exhausted," Suarez said.

The mayor, a married father of two, said he is conscious of balancing his job and family life and being an elected official.

He said he finds relaxing times with his wife over a movie or a glass of wine.

"The intensity of our life is such that when we get to reconnect and spend time together, it's always a lot of fun for me. And I don't have much luxuries beyond that," he said.