Several months back, neurosurgeon and social conservative darling Ben Carson said “the fingers of God” were pressing him to run for President.
On Sunday, they appeared to give him a final push.
“I’m willing to be part of the equation and therefore, I’m announcing my candidacy for president of the United States of America,” Carson told local Ohio station WKRC during an exclusive interview.
Carson will deliver a speech on his announcement on Monday from his hometown of Detroit, the station reported. He formed an exploratory committee back in March.
“I began to ask myself, why are people clamoring for me to do this?” he said. “I represent a lot of the same thoughts that they have.”
Carson has become well known for his off-the-wall remarks about homosexuality and repeated comparisons of America to Nazi Germany. Recently he appeared to praise the convictions of the Islamic State terror group and called for the removal of U.S. judges who rule in favor of gay marriage.
“Don’t wander off into those extraneous areas that can be exploited,” Carson told WKRC when asked what he has learned so far about being on the national stage.
The former neurosurgeon was forced to walk back one particular digression that he made only hours after he announced his exploratory committee.
“A lot of people who go into prison, go into prison straight — and when they come out they’re gay,” Carson said on CNN in Mach. “So, did something happen while they were in there? Ask yourself that question.”
He apologized for the remark shortly after.
