Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer formally announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday in New Hampshire.
“Today, I run for President of the United States,” Roemer said to an audience at Dartmouth College. “I run to reveal the control of special interests in Washington and to demonstrate that the freedom to lead only comes by refusing their money.”
“I run to prepare America for job growth, beginning with the elimination of unfair trade practices and attacking the debt,” he said. “I run as a proud Republican, but an even prouder American.”
Roemer repeated the slogan he coined in the exploratory phase of his run: “free to lead.”
The former Republican Louisiana governor and four-term Democratic congressman has said that he will not accept donations greater than $100 and will take no money from political action committees or special interests.
“We must break the stranglehold of special interest money on our political system. It’s the special interests who use unfair trade and self-written tax loopholes to make their fortunes while stealing our future,” said Roemer. “The guys with the big checks don’t want reform or change because they’ve never had it so good.”
Roemer raised only $44,000 dollars in the second quarter. (Huntsman’s campaign manager resigns)