Francis Suarez, Miami Mayor

Episode 78 of Season 5 of The Scoop was recorded with The Block's Frank Chaparro and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.

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In this episode of The Scoop, The Block's Frank Chaparro speaks with Francis Suarez, the mayor of Miami who at the time of recording was also an active candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

Outline:

1:04 - The Campaign Trail

2:25 - From Miami Mayor to Presidential Hopeful

5:50 - Campaign Headwinds

8:43 - “How Can I Help?”

13:22 - Conflict of Interest Allegations

16:28 - Republican Candidates

19:04 - Presidential Priorities

21:41 - Fiscal Policy

23:53 - Partisan Crypto Support

Suarez rose to national prominence in crypto circles for aggressively courting the digital-asset industry to relocate to Miami, championing initiatives like MiamiCoin, accepting part of his salary in bitcoin, and positioning the city as a low-tax, business-friendly alternative to traditional finance hubs such as New York and San Francisco.

The conversation opens with a look at his long-shot presidential campaign, then still in its early stages, and how he attempted to differentiate himself within a crowded Republican primary field that included far better-funded and more nationally known rivals. Suarez discusses the practical challenges of translating a mayor's record into a national campaign, the headwinds he faced in building name recognition and fundraising momentum, and his message to voters and donors weighing whether to back his bid.

He also addresses questions about conflicts of interest that had trailed him relating to his outside business dealings and consulting work, defending his record and explaining how he sought to separate his private ventures from his public role. On policy, Suarez lays out what he describes as a vision for encouraging generational innovation, framing pro-crypto and pro-technology policy as central to American competitiveness, and he contrasts his approach with other candidates in the race on issues ranging from fiscal policy to the federal government's posture toward digital assets.

Notably, Suarez argues that support for cryptocurrency and blockchain innovation should be a bipartisan issue rather than one confined to a single party, a theme that had defined much of his tenure as mayor. The episode captures Suarez just days before he would exit the presidential race, offering a snapshot of how one of crypto's most visible political allies was trying to translate local success into a national platform. Chaparro also presses him on how a sitting mayor balances the demands of a national campaign with day-to-day governance back home, a tension that runs through much of the interview.