Congressman Thad McCotter to run for U.S. President

July 2, 2011

Republican Congressman Thaddeus McCotter of Michigan confirmed Friday, after weeks of hinting, that he will run for. McCotter, who has represented since 2003, has launched a campaign website and plans to publicly announce his intentions Saturday.

McCotter broke the news during an interview on Detroit's -AM radio station. He has publicly considered running since May when '  host asked him if he would enter the race. Last week, McCotter reportedly paid $18,000 to appear in Iowa's in August.

The run follows the release of McCotter's book Seize Freedom!, whose title serves as his campaign slogan and is featured on his website below the warning: "Your is endangered". McCotter has outlined five "core" principles for his campaign:
 * "Our liberty is from God not the government"
 * "Our sovereignty is in our souls not the soil"
 * "Our security is from strength not surrender"
 * "Our prosperity is from the private sector not the public sector"
 * "Our truths are self-evident not relative"

Although McCotter previously stated that "if I run, I would be in to win", he received only two votes in a  two weeks ago, and lacks the name recognition of his fellow challengers for the nomination. of the  rated it "virtually impossible" for McCotter to be nominated.

Other candidates for the Republican nomination include fellow Representatives of Minnesota and Ron Paul of Texas as well as former Massachusetts  Mitt Romney,  former Utah , former  Newt Gingrich, and businessman Herman Cain.

An adviser said McCotter is dissatisfied with the current candidates and "has something to say and has some ideas and some policies to put out there that nobody else is discussing right now...his presence in the race is going to force these issues and force this discussion that the country has to have right now."

According to , next month, as he campaigns for the presidency, McCotter plans to propose a bill.