Businessman Herman Cain announced Saturday that he is forming an exploratory committee to look at running for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012.
Cain, who was president and CEO of Godfathers Pizza and led the National Restaurant Association, has been a favorite of the tea party movement, speaking at numerous events during the 2010 election cycle. He also hosted a talk-radio show out of Atlanta.
I announced today that I will seek the Republican nomination for president of the United States, noted Cain, who had formed an exploratory committee in January. I remain ever-grateful for your prayers, generosity and support. I ask you to continue to stand with me as we share our message of common-sense solutions and real leadership across this great land. May God bless America!
Unlike many of the candidates in the pack, Cains background is in business and not in holding political office. But while Cain has never held elective office, he ran for the U.S. Senate in Georgia in 2004 -- placing a distant second in the Republican primary behind eventual winner Johnny Isakson, who hammered Cain for backing affirmative-action programs. Cain has been visible since losing that contest through his radio talk-show, newspaper column and speaking at tea party rallies.
But history offers little solace for Cain. Throughout American history, businessmen have tried -- and usually stumbled badly -- pursuing a presidential nomination.
Utilities businessman and attorney Wendell Willkie won the Republican presidential nomination in 1940 without having held elected office -- but he was the only internationalist in the field, with Hitler having just conquered France. The presidential campaign of newspaper owner Frank Gannett, who placed eighth on the first ballot of the convention that nominated Willkie, was a bit more typical. While businessmen ranging from banker Melvin Traylor to RCA founder and GE chairman Owen D. Young ran for the presidency, almost all of them were complete nonfactors in their pursuits.
Two prominent business leaders sought the Republican presidential nomination in recent memory. Despite his media connections and supply-side economic ideas, Steve Forbes did not obtain the Republican presidential nomination in either 1996 or 2000, though he won primaries in Delaware and Arizona in 1996 and placed third in total votes both times. Morry Taylor, president and CEO of Titan International, pulled 1 percent of the vote when he sought the Republican presidential nomination in 1996.
Cain certainly has an uphill climb if he runs for president -- but his backers point out that he has overcome the odds before, starting at Pillsbury, making hamburgers at Burger King and ending up as the CEO of Godfathers Pizza, then serving as chairman of the National Restaurant Association.
While the field of candidates seeking the Republican presidential nomination is starting to dwindle, it remains a crowded one. Other candidates already in the race or seriously considering running for the Republican presidential nomination include former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, former Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana, former Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani of New York City, former Gov. George Pataki of New York, former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, former Gov. Gary Johnson of New Mexico, former Gov. Buddy Roemer of Louisiana, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore of Alabama, and activist Fred Karger.
Almost every single poll at the national and state level has Cain pulling in the low single digits.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (850) 727-0859 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
