The Republican field of presidential candidates got wider Sunday night, with retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson adding his name to the field.
Though Carson was expected to formally announce his decision at an event Monday night in his hometown of Detroit, he told WKRC, a local Cincinnati television station, he was in for 2016.
“I’m willing to be part of the equation and therefore, I’m announcing my candidacy for president of the United States of America,” Carson told Jeff Barnd in an interview that aired late Sunday night.
“Many people have suggested to me that I should run for president, even though I’m not a politician,” the Republican said. “I began to ask myself ‘why are people clamoring for me to do this?’ I represented a lot of the same thoughts that they have. I’m not 100 percent sure ‘politics as usual’ is going to save us. I think we are in a severe problem … a problematic situation.”
Carson became a darling among conservatives after a powerful yet controversial speech at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast. In recent months, his comments regarding Obamacare and homosexuality have caused controversy. When asked about those “experiences” and what he has learned from them, he replied: “I don’t wander off into those extraneous areas that can be exploited. I have learned that.”
Carson, who called himself a “reluctant warrior” in the interview, now joins Sens. Marco Rubio (Florida), Ted Cruz (Texas) and Rand Paul (Kentucky), who have already launched their presidential campaigns. Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Florin is also expected to announced her candidacy on Monday.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is expected to launch his second bid for president sometime this week.
Currently, Carson is in eighth place in a RealClearPolitics average of polls with 4.8 percentage points. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush — who is also expected to announce his 2016 campaign — leads with 15 points.
