Dr. Ben Carson Officially Announces Presidential Bid

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- World famous former Johns Hopkins Hospital neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson makes it official. The longtime Baltimore resident is running for the Republican nomination for president in the 2016 election.

Derek Valcourt has more on Carson's announcement and his plans for the country.

He's been hinting at it for months. Now he's adding his name to the long list of Republicans seeking the GOP nomination.

Dr. Ben Carson made it official standing in his hometown of Detroit with his wife by his side.

"I'm Ben Carson and I'm a candidate for president of the United States," he said.

Carson rose from the projects to graduate from Yale. He eventually came to Baltimore and Johns Hopkins Hospital, where his work as a neurosurgeon earned him world renown and even a Presidential Medal of Freedom.

But in 2013, his outspoken political views, including his positions on welfare, same-sex marriage and taxes, began earning him a conservative following.

In some cases, he made national headlines with his self-described lack of political correctness.

"Obamacare is really I think the worst thing that has happened in this nation since slavery," Carson said.

Koch: "Are there things you said that you wish you hadn't?"

Carson: "There are probably better ways to express some things."

In an exclusive interview, Carson told WJZ's Denise Koch he was once a staunch Democrat, but his years in medicine changed that.

During his kickoff speech Monday, Carson touched on the recent riots in Baltimore.

"You see, I believe that the real issue here is that people are losing hope," he said.

Hopkins University political professor Matthew Crenson predicts Carson will have appeal in a GOP primary, but likely could not win the presidency.

"He would have to change his politics really fast to get out from the rightward fringe into the middle of the road where the winning candidates have to be located," said Crenson.

For now, Carson will focus on getting his message to voters in early primary states.

Though Carson does have some strong support among the Tea Party, he has never run for any elected office before. That's why many political observers are calling his campaign a long-shot.

Carson isn't the only candidate to announce Monday. Former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina became the only female so far to throw her name into the hat for the GOP nomination.