San Antonio Express News

In a better world, former U.S. Congressman Will Hurd would be making a deep run in the Republican presidential primary.

Hurd would be lauded for his career as a CIA officer, as well as his three terms in Congress representing parts of San Antonio and a broad stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border. He would stand out in a crowded GOP field for his moderate and pragmatic stances, ability to define complicated issues and overall policy chops.

But this is not the world we have chosen, and after struggling to gain any traction, Hurd has suspended his admirable presidential campaign.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Hurd said it was time “to recognize the realities of the political landscape and the need to consolidate our party around one person to defeat both Donald Trump and President Biden. I urge donors, voters, and other candidates to unite around an alternative candidate to Trump.”

We would not equate Biden to Trump, who faces 91 criminal charges in four separate state and federal cases and whose rhetoric and repeated election denials sparked the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection.

But Hurd is absolutely right in calling on Republican voters to rally around candidates who offer inspiring ideas and have the political instincts and policy depth to lift the nation to meet the complex challenges of the day.

As he wrote on X, “not enough people are talking about real, achievable solutions to the generation-defining challenges that are in front of us, including artificial intelligence, our new Cold War with China, and the complexity of the ongoing crisis at our southern border.”

Hurd has thrown his support behind former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who he said “has shown a willingness to articulate a different vision for the country than Donald Trump and has an unmatched grasp on the complexities of our foreign policy.”

When he was a border congressman, Hurd advocated for what he called a “smart wall,” or the use of technology along the U.S.-Mexico border to address security needs, rather than a costly and ineffective wall. As a presidential candidate, he was unflinching in his criticism of former President Donald Trump.

Speaking at the Iowa Republican Party’s Lincoln Dinner on July 28, Hurd said, “Donald Trump is not running for president to make America great again. Donald Trump is running to stay out of prison.”

He was then booed off the stage.

Hurd is only 46. It could be credibly argued he lacked the elected experience for the presidency — having served just three terms in Congress — but he certainly has demonstrated the principles needed for any public office as well as the required political bravery.

In or out of politics, Hurd’s future is bright. But his failure to generate GOP enthusiasm should be viewed as a warning sign. What does it say about the Republican party that someone so young, engaged and optimistic — so representative of what the political present and future could be — has no place on the debate stage and no standing with primary voters?

In a better world, Hurd would make a deep run in the GOP primary for the presidential nomination. But in a better world, no former president would be facing 91 criminal charges and yet be a front-runner for the presidency. That this is the world GOP primary voters have chosen — with profound implications for the nation — is its own type of indictment.