It’s true, the day has come to pass. “The Donald” is in the race for the 2016 Republican nomination. He’s an officially filed candidate after making his announcement from Trump Tower this morning In New York. From there, he’ll be heading to Iowa for a campaign stop, and then on to New Hampshire on Wednesday.
Report from CNN:
Donald Trump is finally taking the plunge.
The real estate mogul and TV reality star launched his presidential campaign Tuesday, ending more than two decades of persistent flirtation with the idea of running for the Oval Office.
“So, ladies and gentlemen, I am officially running for president of the United States, and we are going to make our country great again,” Trump told the crowd. [Emphasis added]
Just over four years after he came closer than ever to launching a campaign before bowing out, Trump will make what he’s billed as a “major announcement” at the lavish Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in New York, laying out a vision to match his incoming campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again.”
The 68-story tower venue Trump used Tuesday is more than just the backdrop to Trump’s presidential announcement, instead becoming a physical embodiment of what Trump is bringing to the table and the challenges he’ll face as he formally enters politics.
Trump has already billed himself as the “most successful person ever to run for the presidency, by far,” pointing out even that he owns a “Gucci store that’s worth more than Romney.”
That Gucci store won’t be far as Trump makes his announcement — it’s located in the lobby of the Trump Tower.
But Trump isn’t likely to try and shy away from the out-of-reach luxury and opulence that makes up his day-to-day lifestyle.
Instead, he’ll flaunt his wealth and success in business as a centerpiece of his presidential platform. And on Tuesday he will disclose his financial assets, trumpeting a whopping $9 billion net worth, according to the Washington Post. Trump’s net worth was previously estimated at roughly $4 billion.
A few things worth noting about Trump’s entrance into the campaign.
1) He’s currently positioned to be on the debate stage on August 6 for the first Republican debate sponsored by Fox News. The polling average shows him sitting at ninth place, which could improve with an official announcement. This matters because it will give him a big audience to reach, especially people who have written him off. As you may know, Fox is limiting the number of candidates to the top ten in an average of five national polls.
2) Now, the other side of the polling shows some serious challenges for him. Currently there is no candidate with higher negative ratings than Donald Trump. Over at FiveThirtyEight, they’re referring to him as “not a real candidate” due to the high negatives.
Here is the complete 45 minute video of Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign announcement speech:
