WASHINGTON, May 11 (UPI) -- Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich became the first person to officially announced his candidacy in the Republican presidential nomination race Wednesday.
"Today I am announcing my candidacy for president of the United States," Gingrich said on his Twitter page.
"I believe we can return America to hope and opportunity, to full employment, to real security, to an American energy program, to a balanced budget." Gingrich said in a 2:08-minute video posted on his campaign Web site.
Gingrich, who has been a political consultant and commentator since leaving the House, spoke of his accomplishments as speaker from 1995-99, when welfare reform was enacted, the budget was balanced and unemployment fell from 5.6 percent to under 4 percent.
"We've done it before," the 67-year-old Georgia Republican said, "we can do it again."
"There's a much better American future ahead," he said. "No one person can accomplish this. It can't be done from the oval office. We have to work together. We Americans have to get it done."
In March, Gingrich set up an exploratory committee to gauge support for his candidacy.
Gingrich's announcement comes as a Gallup poll indicates he has high recognition but a low positive rating. Gallup said Gingrich recorded a positive intensity score of 11, while the average was 13 for all potential GOP candidates. (Gallup calculates its positive intensity score based on the difference between strongly favorable and strongly unfavorable opinions among those polled who are familiar with a candidate.)
U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, former Govs. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, Buddy Roemer of Louisiana and Gary Johnson of New Mexico, and former Godfather's Pizza Chief Executive Officer Herman Cain have established exploratory committees to help them determine whether they should run for president. Several other Republicans also have indicated an interest in running.
