Republican presidential candidate Ryan Binkley announced on Feb. 27 that he was suspending his campaign and endorsing former President Donald Trump.
The Dallas, Texas-based pastor and businessman posted the announcement on X, formerly Twitter, expressing gratitude to supporters, family, and volunteers who rallied behind his vision for the country.
Mr. Binkley thanked his family, friends, campaign team, over 80,000 financial supporters, and hundreds of volunteers who contributed to his campaign. He acknowledged their efforts, prayers, love, and generosity and emphasized that his journey wouldn’t have been possible without their collective support.
At the heart of Mr. Binkley’s campaign was a call to action to address the nation’s unsustainable debt and deficit spending, which he saw as a threat to future generations’ economic stability. Mr. Binkley claims that the nation’s financial problems may be attributed in large part to the healthcare system, and he has recommended reforming and demonopolizing it as a solution.
“When I began this journey, it was with a message in my heart that our country needs to awaken to the fact that the unsustainable deficit spending and debt path we are on will undoubtedly lead us to a generational economic disruption,” Mr. Binkley said in his statement.
“I believe that we can get off that path and begin a journey to balance the federal budget by transforming and demonopolizing the healthcare system which has been bankrupting our nation. I also felt deeply that as bad as the U.S. fiscal and monetary policy is, the political corruption and cultural divide in our country is an even greater threat.”
In light of the country’s growing cultural divide and political corruption, Mr. Binkley stressed the importance of a fresh party vision. Ultimately, he decided to back President Trump, and he acknowledged that the Republican Party had a hard time navigating the accusations and indictments against him.
In his statement, Mr. Binkley emphasized the importance of party unity while announcing his endorsement and steadfast support for President Trump. He acknowledged the difficulties that lay ahead and pledged his support for the former president, saying that he would need everyone’s help.
While Mr. Binkley cited the need to return to his family, business, and church responsibilities as the reason for suspending his campaign, he affirmed his continued commitment to his policy positions on the economy, border security, and healthcare. He expressed eagerness to explore other avenues through which he could make an impact and promote his policy positions.
As Mr. Binkley bows out of the presidential race, his endorsement of President Trump signals a strategic move to align with the dominant forces within the party.
“Throughout my campaign, I have seen our party struggle to find a place for a new vision while weighing the corrupt allegations and indictments against President Trump. He will need everyone’s support, and he will have mine moving forward.”
In addition to co-founding and serving as head pastor at Create Church in Richardson, Texas, Mr. Binkley is known for his work as an entrepreneur and the creator of Generational Equity Group, which is a firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions. The former candidate is married and has five children, ranging in age from 13 to 33.
The Republican from Texas placed fifth in the Iowa caucuses and received additional attention to his race, thanks to a shoutout by TV host Stephen Colbert on Jan. 15.
Mr. Binkley outpaced former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson in the Iowa caucuses despite getting less than 1,000 votes (0.7 percent of the total). After businessman Vivek Ramaswamy withdrew from the contest on Jan. 16, Mr. Binkley became the GOP’s fourth-place candidate despite very little name recognition.
Following Florida Gov. Ron Desantis’ withdrawal on Jan. 21, Mr. Binkley found himself in third place—albeit a far-off third—prior to the New Hampshire primary.
The majority of his campaign effort, however, was self-funded, including paid media. He admitted to having spent over $8 million of his own money on his presidential campaign.
Lawrence Wilson contributed to this report.
