Former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich has announced that he will be seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. president in 2012. Gingrich’s plans were made public via Facebook and Twitter Monday, where he also asked supporters to tune into his Fox News interview with Sean Hannity on Wednesday night.
Gingrich made his announcement on the aforementioned social networks late Monday morning, with both his tweet and Facebook post going out at about the same time. “I have been humbled by all the encouragement you have given me to run. Thank you for your support, ” Gingrich’s Facebook post says, before asking the public to watch Hannity at 9 p.m. Wednesday. “I will be on to talk about my run for President of the United States.”
As the Associated Press reports, Gingrich’s bid isn’t much of a surprise. The former speaker spent months raising money and assembling a campaign team, while quietly opening campaign headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. He’s supposed to address the Georgia Republican Party Convention on Friday in Macon, Georgia — aides are saying this will be his first speech as a candidate.
Gingrich’s decision to enter the race marks a bit of a comeback for the politician, who became House speaker in 1994 — the first time Republicans had control of the House since 1954. But in November 1998, after facing ethics inquiries, Gingrich announced his decision to step down and leave Congress. Since that time, he has continued speaking about topics such as healthcare and foreign policy, while also producing documentaries and writing a book: Rediscovering God in America.
The former speaker isn’t the only political candidate to announce his run via social media. Last month, Mitt Romney — former Massachusetts governor — announced his 2012 presidential bid via a YouTube video. Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty also announced his bid via his Facebook in March. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama’s team is also pushing his reelection campaign via various digital initiatives.