Candidate Announcements in Recent Election Cycles

As noted in the discussion on the main page, individuals can take many steps en route to becoming candidates and announcing their candidacies; indeed sometimes there is a tendency to draw the announcement out in an attempt to gain maximum attention.  For example during an appearance on a talk show or late night program an individual may drop the news that he or she plans to establish an exploratory committee, then some days or weeks later get a bit more news for actually establishing an exploratory committee, and then still later on formally announce that he or she is a full-fledged candidate.  Filing of paperwork can also generate news.  Before making a formal announcement speech, a candidate or exploratory candidate may have been campaigning for months.  It can sometimes be difficult to determine when the individual actually becomes a fully engaged candidate.  The formal announcement speech can serve as an important symbolic event for a candidacy.  The setting, staging, and wording of the speech give a sense of who the candidate is.  The downside, one operative observed, is that the attention only lasts for one news cycle.  Thus in recent campaigns there have been a number of candidates who have chosen to skip the grand-scale formal announcement speech and merely announce on a broadcast program or via video.  The tables below attempt to show the timing of formal candidate announcements.


Grey indicates forming an exploratory committee or testing the waters or filing paperwork.  Black/linked are formal announcements.  Numbers are days of the month except for years before (2010, 2006...) when they indicate the month.

2015
2014 Jan. '15
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
Jun.
Jul.
Aug.
Sep.
Oct.
11-Webb (+)
29-Graham(+)

2-Carson (+)
18-Trump (+)
23-Cruz
7-Paul
9-Chafee (+)
12-Clinton
13-Rubio
30-Sanders
4-Fiorina
4-Carson
5-Huckabee
26-Sanders2
27-Santorum
28-Pataki
30-O'Malley
1-Graham
3-Chafee
4-Perry
13-Clinton2
15-Bush
16-Trump
18-Walker
24-Jindal
30-Christie
2-Webb
13-Walker
21-Kasich
30-Gilmore



Iowa Caucuses: tentatively Feb. 1, 2016

2011
>
2010 Jan. '11
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
Jun.
Jul.
Aug.
Sep.
Oct.

12-Cain
3-Gingrich
3-Roemer
21-Pawlenty
23-Karger
4-OBAMA
11-Romney
13-Santorum
18-Moore
25-Johnson
26-Paul
11-Gingrich
13-Paul
21-Cain
23-Pawlenty
2-Romney
6-Santorum
13-Bachmann
21-Huntsman
27-Bachmann
2-McCotter
21-Roemer
13-Perry


Iowa Caucuses: Jan. 3, 2012

2007 >
2006 Jan. '07
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
Jun.
Jul.
Aug.
Sep.
Oct.
3-Cox
4-Gravel
10-Hunter
11-Giuliani
11-McCain
11-TThompsn
11-Vilsack
12-Bayh
12-Brownbk
12-Kucinich
12-Gilmore
12-Edwards

3-Romney
7-Biden
11-Paul
11-Dodd
16-Obama
16-Tancredo
20-Brownbk
20-Clinton
21-Richrdsn
25-Hunter
29-Huck'b
31-Biden
10-Obama
13-Romney
12-Paul 2-Tancredo
4-TThompsn
12-Giuliani
25-McCain
26-Gilmore
21-Richrdsn 3-FThompsn

14-Keyes
21-FThompsn

Iowa Caucuses: Jan. 3, 2008

2003
2002 Jan. '03
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
Jun.
Jul.
Aug.
Sep.
Oct.
8/2001-Sharpton >
5-Dean
12-Kerry
2-Edwards
4-Sharpton
4-Gephardt
13-Liebermn
18-Kucinich
19-Gephardt

19-M-Braun
27-Graham


6-Graham
16-BUSH

23-Dean

2-Kerry
16-Edwards
17-Clark
22-M-Braun
13-Kucinich
Iowa Caucuses: Jan. 19, 2004

1999 >
1998 Jan. '99
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
Jun.
Jul.
Aug.
Sep.
Oct.
7/1997-Keyes
4-Wellstone
12-Bradley
12-McCain
1-Gore
4-Smith
8-Alexander
28-Quayle
1-Bauer
15-Kasich.
18-Smith
2-Buchanan
9-Bush.
9-Alexander
10-Dole
16-Forbes
14-Quayle
21-Bauer

12-Bush
16-Gore
1-Hatch
8-Bradley
20-Keyes
27-McCain

Iowa Caucuses: Jan. 24, 2000

1995
1994 Jan. '95
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
Jun.
Jul.
Aug.
Sep.
Oct.
10-Quayle
11-Specter
11-Gramm
13-Dole 24-Gramm
28-Alexander
20-Buchanan
23-Wilson
26-Keyes
30-Specter
10-Dole
13-Dornan
14-CLINTON
19-Lugar

15-Wilson
17-Taylor

28-Wilson 22-Forbes
Iowa Republican Caucuses: Feb. 12, 1996

Analyzing Announcement Speeches
What makes an effective announcement speech? 
Certainly the content and delivery of the speech are critical, but there are many other factors that can make for a memorable launch. 
An energetic, well-orchestrated announcement speech can set a positive tone, for a campaign while glitches can lead to unfavorable coverage.  In addition to the burst of media coverage surrounding an announcement, imagery from the event may appear in ads and communications used throughout the campaign. 

Geographic Location and Venue
Campaigns have adopted three main approaches to chosing a geographic location.  First, making an announcement in one of the early states (IA, NH, SC) is a common approach, particularly if one of those states is seen as must win.  Second, returning to one's home state is another frequent approach.  This is a good way to highlight the candidate's upbringing and roots; for example reporters can talk to neighbors and people who know the candidate when he or she was growing up.  Third, the campaign may choose a more broadly symbolic location.  For example Jon Huntsman in 2011 spoke with the Statue of Liberty in the background, John Edwards in 2007 chose the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, and John Kerry in 2003 spoke with aircraft carrier U.S.S. Yorktown in the background (plus it was in South Carolina). 

Venues range widely.  Some are chosen with optics in mind, that is to get the Statue of Liberty or a state capitol dome or an aircraft carrier in the background.  Some are more personal; for example, candidates have announced in the schools that they attended.  Finally, there are instances where the venue seems less of a priority or even an afterthought; the candidate speaks in a more generic location, even a hotel, that is convenient.  If a candidate makes the announcement in the winter, weather can be a factor in determining the venue.

Staging
Once the location and venue have been selected, careful attention must be given to staging the event.  Hundreds of little details must be settled.  Should balloons be used?  What about signs?  Should the signs be commercial or handmade?  Does the camera platform give the intended shot?  Is the sound system going to function properly?  What music will be used; patriotic, portentous, pop...?  If there is an announcement tour, other venues must be prepared. These preparations are best left to experienced professionals!

Content and Delivery
Most often there will be a few introductions.  An elected official or two may make initial remarks. Typically the candidate's wife will speak for a few minutes to introduce him; in the case of women candidates there is less of a track record, but the candidate's husband could do the introduction.  The announcement speech may be the most attention a candidate gets for a while so it behooves him or her to think through what he or she wants to say and how to say it.  Broadly, the objective is to highlight aspects of his or her experience and outline his or her vision for the country.  There are a lot of interesting things to watch.1 How well does the candidate deliver the speech?  Are there references to a humble upbringing?  Attacks on the current administration?  Does the speech delve into foreign policy?  

Coverage
At the most basic level the campaign must take care of media logistics; reporters need their wifi, photographers their shots, broadcast journalists their sound, and the traveling press transportation, food and accomodations.   Sometimes a campaign will organize a special related event for the media; for example in 2007 the Vilsack campaign held a potluck supper the night before his announcement, and in June 1999 in New Hampshire the Bush campaign held a lobster bake.  After the event, the campaign can see how it played starting with the initial tweets, to the evening broadcasts, to the newpapers the next day.  Other news of the day may be a factor; for example in 1995 Sen. Richard Lugar had the misfortune of announcing on the same day as the Oklahoma City bombing.  Finally, the announcement speech is usually not an isolated event.  A candidate will often go on a full announcement tour, which can boost the coverage in the early states, and candidates also often make an intense round of media appearances in conjunction with their announcements (>).

Notes:
1. The Boston Globe did an interesting analysis of the complexity of language used by the candidates in their announcement speeches. Using  the Flesch-Kincaid readability tests,
the Globe found that Donald Trump used the simplest language, scoring at a fourth grade level, while at the other end of the spectrum, at a tenth grade level, were former Gov. Jim Gilmore followed by former Gov. Mike Huckabee and Sen. Bernie Sanders. See :Matt Viser.  "For presidential hopefuls, simpler language resonates."  The Boston Globe, Oct. 20, 2015.

Details

2015
  • July 30, 2015 - Former Gov. Jim Gilmore (R-VA) annouces via video.
  • July 21, 2015 - Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) in the Ohio Union at The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH.
  • July 13, 2015 - Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) at Waukesha County Expo Center in Waukesha, WI.
  • July 2, 2015 - Former Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) announces by email.

  • June 30, 2015 - Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) at Livingston High School in Livingston, NJ.
  • June 24, 2015 - Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) at Pontchartrain Center in Kenner, LA.
  • Jun. 23, 2015 - Dr. Jill Stein (G-MA) at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.
  • Jun. 16, 2015 - Donald Trump (R-NY) at Trump Tower in New York, NY.
  • Jun. 15, 2015 - Former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-FL) at the Theodore R. Gibson Health Center at the Miami Dade College Kendall campus in Miami, FL.
  • Jun. 13, 2015 - Former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton official campaign launch at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park in New York, NY.
  • Jun. 4, 2015 - Former Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) at Addison Airport in Addison, TX.
  • Jun. 3, 2015 - Former Gov. Lincoln Chafee (D-RI) at George Mason University in Arlington, VA.
  • Jun. 1, 2015 - Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Main Street in Central, SC.

  • May 30, 2015 - Former Gov. Martin O'Malley (D-MD) at Federal Hill Park in Baltimore, MD.
  • iMay 28, 2015 - Former Gov. George Pataki (R-NY) at Exeter Town Hall in Exeter, NH.
  • May 27, 2015 - Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) at Penn United Technologies in Cabot, PA.
  • May 26, 2015 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)' formal announcement at Waterfront Park in Burlington, VT.
  • May 5, 2015 - Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR)* FL at Hempstead Hall in Hope, AR.
  • May 4, 2015 - Dr. Ben Carson (R-FL) at Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts in Detroit, MI.
  • May 4, 2015 - Former HP CEO Carly Fiorina (R-VA) announces by video and on social media.

  • Apr. 30, 2015 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) announces by email statement.
  • Apr. 13, 2015 - Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)  at Freedom Tower in Miami, FL.
  • Apr. 12, 2015 - Former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton announces by video and on social media.
      • Apr. 9, 2015 - Former Gov. Lincoln Chafee (D-RI) announces exploratory committee.
  • Apr. 7, 2015 - Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, KY.

  • Mar. 23, 2015 - Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA.
      • Mar. 18, 2015 - Donald Trump (R-NY) announces exploratory committee.
      • Mar. 2, 2015 - Dr. Ben Carson (R-FL) announced exploratory committee via March 3 web video.
      • Jan. 29, 2015 - Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) announces testing the waters committee.
      • Nov. 19, 2014 - Former Sen. Jim Webb (R-VA) announced exploratory committee via web video.

2011

Seven of the candidate made their announcements in early states (Johnson, Paul, Romney and Roemer in NH, Pawlenty and Bachmann in IA and Perry in SC).  Depending on how one counts, four or five candidates (Gingrich, Cain, Santorum, Bachmann and McCotter) had home state announcements (Gingrich technically announced via video).  Cain drew the biggest crowd.  Huntsman had the most dramatic setting; however, his event also had a number of glitches including relatively low turnout, and the embarassment of the candidate's name misspelled (John instead of Jon) on the press credentials.
 
  • April 25 - Former Gov. Gary Johnson (R-NM) announced at the State Capitol in Concord, NH, and included extreme skiing on Mount Washington as part of his announcement trip.
  • May 11 - Former Speaker Newt Gingrich had considered announcing at Philadelphia's Independence Hall, but ultimately announced on May 11 via Twitter and Facebook and a video; a couple of days later on May 13 he gave what amounted to an announcement speech at the Georgia Republican Party convention in Macon, GA.
  • May 13 - Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) announced at Exeter Town Hall in Exeter, NH.
  • May 21 - Herman Cain drew a big crowd at his announcement rally at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, GA.
  • May 23 - Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) announced at the State of Iowa Historical Building in Des Moines, IA, with the Capitol building in the background. 
  • June 2 - Former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) launched his candidacy at the Bittersweet Farm in Stratham County, NH
  • June 6 - Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) announced in his home state of Pennsylvania, speaking from the steps of the Somerset County Courthouse, in Somerset, PA; his grandfather settled in Somerset after emigrating from Italy. 
  • June 21 - Former Gov. Jon Huntsman (R-UT) announced from Liberty State Park, NJ with the Statue of Liberty in the background.
  • June 27 - Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) managed announcements in both IA and NH; after making an initial announcement during the June 13 New Hampshire debate, she formally announced a couple of weeks later in Waterloo, IA, the city where she was born. 
  • July 2 - Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) kicked off his short-lived effort at WAAM Freedom Fest at Whitmore Lake, MI in his congressional district.
  • July 21 - Former Gov. Buddy Roemer (R-LA) announced at Hanover  Inn at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH.
  • Aug. 13 - Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) announced at RedState Gathering 2011 at the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston, SC.

2007

Five of the candidates made announcements in early states (Vilsack, Thompson, and Gilmore in IA, McCain in NH and Hunter in SC).  Depending how one counts, five or six announced in their home states (Vilsack, Kucinich, Brownback, Obama and Romney; Richardson noted that he was born in California).  Three announced elsewhere (Gravel, Edwards and Richardson).  Edwards announcement was the most unusual; he spoke in front of a home in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans with a group of young people, mostly African-Americans wearing OneCorps shirts, behind him.  It was surprising how many candidates decided to forego the expense and trouble of a formal announcement event and simply announced their campaigns or exploratory efforts in media appearances or web videos.  Several announced as exploratory candidates but never formally announced they were full-fledged candidates.  Technically and legally this was fine, as their campaigns did file the requisite paperwork, but it does seem less than elegant.

  • April 17, 2006 - Former Sen. Mike Gravel (D) announced at the National Press Club in Washington, DC+
  • Nov. 30, 2006 - Gov. Tom Vilsack (D-IA) announced in Mount Pleasant, IA, his hometown since 1975; he was elected mayor in 1987 and served for five years and later served in the State Senate.  +
  • Dec. 12, 2006 - Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) announced in his hometown, in the City Council Chamber at Cleveland City Hall in Cleveland, OH+
  • Dec. 28, 2006 - Former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) announced in front of a home in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, LA+
  •    Jan. 11 - Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) announced on "Imus in the Morning."
  •    Jan. 20 - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) announced exploratory via web video.
  • Jan. 20 - Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) announced in his home state at Heritage Hall in Wichita, KS+
  • Jan. 25 - Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) announced at the Spartanburg Marriott at Renaissance Park in Spartanburg, SC+
  •    Jan. 28 - Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR) announced exploratory on NBC's "Meet the Press."
  •    Jan. 31 - Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) announced via web video.
  •    Feb. 7 - Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) filed his statement of candidacy with the FEC and did an interview with Sean Hannity on FOX News "Hannity and Colmes." during which he spoke about making a formal announcement, but that never did happen.
  • Feb. 10 - Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) announced at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, IL+
  • Feb. 13 - Former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) announced at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI+
  •    Mar. 12 - Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) announced on C-SPAN's "Washington Journal."
  •    Apr. 2 - Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) announced on WHO Radio's "Mickelson in the Morning."
  • April 4 - Former Gov. Tommy Thompson (R-WI) announced at the 7 Flags Event Center in Clive, IA+
  • April 25 - Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) announced at Prescott Park in Portsmouth, NH+
  • April 26 - Former Gov. Jim Gilmore (R-VA) announced at the Republican Party of Iowa headquarters in Des Moines, IA.
  • May 21 - Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) announced at Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. CA+
  •    Sept. 14 - Former Amb. Alan Keyes announced on "Janet Parshall's America."
  •    Sept. 21 - Former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN) announced in a webcast.
  • *Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R-NY) filed papers with New York State on Nov. 10, 2006; also in Nov. 2006 the exploratory committee filed with the FEC. 

2003
Most of the candidates announced in their hometowns; the two exceptions were Kerry and Moseley Braun.
  • Jan. 13 - Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) announced at Stamford High School in Stamford, CT; he graduated from there class of 1960.
  • Feb. 19 - Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-MO) announced at Mason Elementary School in St. Louis, MO; he attended the school.
  • May 6 - Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL) announced in Miami Lakes, FL; his family developed the town.
  • June 23 - Former Gov. Howard Dean (D-VT) announced at the Church Street Marketplace in downtown Burlington, VT.
  • Sept. 2 - Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) announced at Patriots Point in Charleston, SC.
  • Sept. 16 - Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) announced outside of the old Milliken Mill (it closed in 1990) in Robbins, NC; he worked there as a teenager.
  • Sept. 17 - Gen. Wesley K. Clark (Ret.) announced outside of the James Penick Boys and Girls Club in Little Rock, AR; he was a member of the Club as a youth.
  • Sept. 22 - Amb. Carol Moseley Braun announced at Howard University in Washington, DC.
  • Oct. 13 - Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) announced in his hometown, in the City Council Chamber at Cleveland City Hall in Cleveland, OH.
  • *Rev. Al Sharpton announced his intention to form an exploratory committee at the National Press Club in Washington, DC in Aug. 2001 and filed papers at the FEC establishing the committee on Jan. 21, 2003.



ADVERTISEMENT
 


2015: The Field Takes Shape

  Testing the Waters or Exploratory D / R   |   Candidacy D / R   |   Ends or Suspends
January
S
M
T
W
F
S
.


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

< Nov. 19 - Jim Webb exploratory

February
S
M
T
W
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28




. . .

March
S
M
T
W
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31


. . .
April
S
M
T
W
F
S
.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30


May
S
M
T
W
F
S





1
2

3
4
CFBC
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
2
22
23
24
25
27
28
29
30
31








June
S
M
T
W
F
S
.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
SW
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30







July
S
M
T
W
F
S
.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

August
S
M
T
W
F
S
. .



1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31





September
S
M
T
W
F
S
.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30






October
S
M
T
W
F
S
.


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
LC
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
November
S
M
T
W
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30


. . .
December
S
M
T
W
F
S
.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31