Ben Carson is running for President: ‘I’m not politically correct. I’m not a politician.’

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May 4, 2015

Dr. Ben Carson speaks at the Alabama Policy Institute annual dinner Nov. 7, 2013

DETROIT, Michigan — Ben Carson, the famed pediatric neurosurgeon who shot to stardom with a pointed speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2013, announced Sunday evening that he running for President.

“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 said in an interview aired Sunday night by Ohio’s WKRC television station.

Dr. Carson is the fourth Republican to enter to race for the GOP nomination, following Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio.

He made his formal announcement Monday morning in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan, saying, “I gotta tell you something. I’m not politically correct. I’m not a politician. I don’t want to be a politician. Politicians do what is politically expedient. I want to do what’s right.”

While many of his positions, including being pro-life and opposing same-sex-marriage, have brought him popularity among conservatives, a few of his lesser-known ideas may cause hiccups during the primary season.

His idea, laid out in the best-selling book America the Beautiful, that the government should provide catastrophic health insurance for all Americans, in particular, is sure to spark questions in the GOP nomination debates that are slated to begin this summer.

Dr. Carson has made several stops in the Yellowhammer State over the last few years. In November, 2013, he addressed a packed house at the Alabama Policy Institute’s winter dinner, saying “In order to put our nation back on track, we have to be willing to talk about the problems that plague our nation. All of you have to lead that very necessary dialogue and propel us toward policies that provide real solutions to the issues our communities face.”

During the 2014 state legislative races, Carson endorsed fellow physician Dr. Larry Stutts, the challenger who ousted long-time Democratic Alabama State Senator Roger Bedford.

Monday morning during his speech in Detroit’s Music Hall, Carson spoke about a WWII veteran he encountered during a trip to Alabama who thanked the doctor for standing up and telling the truth, to which Carson responded that it was the veterans we should all be thanking.

Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee are also expected to jump into the race this week.