Update, March 4, 2016: Ben Carson has decided to end his 2016 presidential bid.
The doctor is in the race.
Retired pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson today plans to announce he’s officially running for his first political office — president.
The Center for Public Integrity’s money-in-politics resources about 2016 hopefuls:
Democratic candidates:
9 things to know about Lincoln Chafee
12 things to know about Hillary Clinton
9 things to know about Lawrence Lessig
9 things to know about Martin O’Malley
12 things to know about Bernie Sanders
12 things to know about Jim Webb
Republican candidates:
12 things to know about Jeb Bush
9 things to know about Ben Carson
9 things to know about Chris Christie
Ted Cruz‘s presidential cash hunt commences
12 things to know about Carly Fiorina
9 things to know about Jim Gilmore
9 things to know about Lindsey Graham
9 things to know about Mike Huckabee
9 things to know about Bobby Jindal
9 things to know about John Kasich
9 things to know about George Pataki
12 things to know about Rand Paul
12 things to know about Rick Perry
12 things to know about Marco Rubio
12 things to know about Rick Santorum
9 things to know about Donald Trump
12 things to know about Scott Walker
Carson, the first neurosurgeon to successfully separate Siamese twins conjoined at the head, became a conservative star in 2013 after delivering a fiery speech at the National Prayer Breakfast against President Barack Obama’s health reform overhaul. Carson formed a presidential exploratory committee in March, but by then, supporters had already contributed millions of dollars to super PACs created to back his prospective bid.
Here’s more on Carson’s political and financial history as he enters the increasingly crowded Republican presidential field:
The Carson America Exploratory Committee raised nearly $2.2 million during March and April, with 70 percent of the money coming from donors who gave $200 or less.
Ben Carson kick started his presidential exploratory committee by personally loaning it $25,000.
The National Draft Ben Carson for President Committee — a super PAC — has raised $13.5 million since August 2013, but has spent almost all of it.
The National Draft Ben Carson for President Committee is led by John Philip Sousa IV, the composer’s great-grandson.
Some directors and consultants tied to the National Draft Ben Carson for President Committee have pulled in six-figure salaries and fees, BuzzFeed reported.
Founders of the National Draft Ben Carson for President Committee formed a second super PAC that they said would kick in once Carson officially declares. So far, it’s reported no activity.
In February, Ben Carson hired Amy Pass, a former Newt Gingrich fundraiser, as his national finance director — an early tip-off to his presidential plans.
Ben Carson finished fourth in this year’s CPAC straw poll, ahead of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
In 2013, when Fox News host Sean Hannity asked Ben Carson about a 2016 presidential run, Carson said that “if the Lord grabbed me by the collar and made me do it” he would.
Image sources: AP
Sources: Center for Public Integrity reporting, Federal Election Commission
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Carrie Levine
Carrie Levine joined the Center for Public Integrity in October 2014 as a federal politics reporter investigating... More by Carrie Levine
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by Carrie Levine, Center for Public Integrity May 4, 2015
<h1>9 things to know about Ben Carson</h1> <p class="byline">by Carrie Levine, Center for Public Integrity <br />May 4, 2015</p> <p><em><strong>Update, March 4, 2016:</strong> Ben Carson has <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/03/04/ben-carson-republican-presidential-race/80047678/">decided to end</a> his 2016 presidential bid.</em></p> <p>The doctor is in the race.</p> <p>Retired pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson today <a href="http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2015/04/30/detroit-native-ben-carson-takes-faith-president-bid/26676587/">plans to announce</a> he’s officially running for his first political office — president.</p> <aside class="relation packaged"> <div class="relation-inner grid_5 suffix_desktop-large_3 suffix_desktop_1 stacked float-right" data-sigil="relation"> <section> <header> <hgroup></hgroup> </header> <p>The Center for Public Integrity's money-in-politics resources about 2016 hopefuls:</p> <p><strong>Democratic candidates:</strong></p> <ul> <li>9 things to know about <a href="http://publicintegrity.org/2015/06/03/17172/9-things-know-about-lincoln-chafee">Lincoln Chafee</a></li> <li>12 things to know about <a href="/2015/04/12/17107/12-things-know-about-hillary-clinton">Hillary Clinton</a></li> <li>9 things to know about <a href="http://publicintegrity.org/2015/09/06/17956/9-things-know-about-lawrence-lessig">Lawrence Lessig</a></li> <li>9 things to know about <a href="http://publicintegrity.org/2015/05/29/17303/9-things-know-about-martin-omalley">Martin O'Malley</a></li> <li>12 things to know about <a href="/2015/04/30/17261/12-things-know-about-bernie-sanders">Bernie Sanders</a></li> <li>12 things to know about <a href="http://publicintegrity.org/2015/05/26/17395/12-things-know-about-jim-webb">Jim Webb</a></li> </ul> <p><strong>Republican candidates:</strong></p> <ul> <li>12 things to know about <a href="http://publicintegrity.org/2015/06/15/17142/12-things-know-about-jeb-bush">Jeb Bush</a></li> <li>9 things to know about <a href="/2015/05/04/17280/9-things-know-about-ben-carson">Ben Carson</a></li> <li>9 things to know about <a href="/2015/06/30/17582/9-things-know-about-chris-christie">Chris Christie</a></li> <li><a href="/2015/03/23/16947/ted-cruzs-presidential-cash-hunt-commences">Ted Cruz</a>'s presidential cash hunt commences</li> <li>12 things to know about <a href="/2015/05/04/17278/12-things-know-about-carly-fiorina">Carly Fiorina</a></li> <li>9 things to know about <a href="http://publicintegrity.org/2015/07/30/17696/9-things-know-about-jim-gilmore">Jim Gilmore</a></li> <li>9 things to know about <a href="http://publicintegrity.org/2015/06/01/17197/9-things-know-about-lindsey-graham">Lindsey Graham</a></li> <li>9 things to know about <a href="/2015/05/05/17180/9-things-know-about-mike-huckabee">Mike Huckabee</a></li> <li>9 things to know about <a href="http://publicintegrity.org/2015/06/24/17506/9-things-know-about-bobby-jindal">Bobby Jindal</a></li> <li>9 things to know about <a href="http://publicintegrity.org/2015/04/22/17209/9-things-know-about-john-kasich">John Kasich</a></li> <li>9 things to know about <a style="line-height: 1.6" href="http://publicintegrity.org/2015/05/28/17396/9-things-know-about-george-pataki">George Pataki</a></li> <li>12 things to know about <a href="/2015/04/07/17068/12-things-know-about-rand-paul">Rand Paul</a></li> <li>12 things to know about <a href="/2015/06/04/17440/12-things-know-about-rick-perry">Rick Perry</a></li> <li>12 things to know about <a href="/2015/04/13/17058/12-things-know-about-marco-rubio">Marco Rubio</a></li> <li>12 things to know about <a href="http://publicintegrity.org/2015/05/27/17390/12-things-know-about-rick-santorum">Rick Santorum</a></li> <li>9 things to know about <a href="http://publicintegrity.org/2015/06/16/17488/9-things-know-about-donald-trump">Donald Trump</a></li> <li>12 things to know about <a href="http://publicintegrity.org/2015/07/13/17225/12-things-know-about-scott-walker">Scott Walker</a></li> </ul> </section> </div> </aside> <p>Carson, the first neurosurgeon to <a href="http://www.baylor.edu/research/index.php?id=84221">successfully separate</a> Siamese twins conjoined at the head, became a conservative star in 2013 after delivering a fiery speech at the <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/02/meet-dr-ben-carson-the-new-conservative-folk-hero/273240/">National Prayer Breakfast</a> against President Barack Obama’s health reform overhaul. Carson <a href="http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/603/15031401603/15031401603.pdf">formed</a> a presidential exploratory committee in March, but by then, supporters had already contributed millions of dollars to super PACs created to back his prospective bid.</p> <p>Here’s more on Carson’s political and financial history as he enters the increasingly crowded Republican presidential field:</p> <ul> <li>The Carson America Exploratory Committee raised nearly $2.2 million during March and April, with 70 percent of the money coming from donors who gave $200 or less.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Ben Carson kick started his presidential exploratory committee by personally <a href="http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/692/15970358692/15970358692.pdf">loaning</a> it $25,000.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>The National Draft Ben Carson for President Committee — a super PAC — has raised $13.5 million since August 2013, but has spent almost all of it.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>The National Draft Ben Carson for President Committee is led by John Philip Sousa IV, the composer’s great-grandson.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Some directors and consultants tied to the National Draft Ben Carson for President Committee have pulled in six-figure salaries and fees, <em>BuzzFeed</em> <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/the-ben-carson-super-pac-is-pretty-lucrative-for-the-people#.dt9dYloAO">reported</a>.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Founders of the National Draft Ben Carson for President Committee formed a second super PAC that they <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/draft-ben-carson-activist-launches-new-super-pac#.hxM1XylJn">said</a> would kick in once Carson officially declares. So far, it’s <a href="http://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/867/15031364867/15031364867.pdf">reported</a> no activity.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>In February, Ben Carson <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2015/02/24/ben-carson-hires-national-finance-director-ahead-of-likely-campaign/">hired</a> Amy Pass, a former Newt Gingrich fundraiser, as his national finance director — an early tip-off to his presidential plans.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Ben Carson finished <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/02/28/conservative-political-action-conference-obama-jeb-bush-rand-paul-straw-poll/24176749/">fourth</a> in this year’s CPAC straw poll, ahead of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>In 2013, when Fox News host Sean Hannity asked Ben Carson about a 2016 presidential run, Carson <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/20/politics/carson-presidential-run-god-fingers/">said</a> that “if the Lord grabbed me by the collar and made me do it” he would.</li> </ul> <p>Image sources: AP</p> <p>Sources: Center for Public Integrity reporting, Federal Election Commission</p> <p>This <a target="_blank" href="https://publicintegrity.org/politics/9-things-to-know-about-ben-carson/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://publicintegrity.org">Center for Public Integrity</a> and is republished here under a <a target="_blank" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.<img src="https://i0.wp.com/publicintegrity.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/CPI-columns-new-color.jpg?resize=82%2C86&amp;ssl=1" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;"><img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://publicintegrity.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=47603" style="width:1px;height:1px;"><script> PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: "https://publicintegrity.org/politics/9-things-to-know-about-ben-carson/", urlref: window.location.href }); } } </script> <script id="parsely-cfg" src="//cdn.parsely.com/keys/publicintegrity.org/p.js"></script></p> Copy to Clipboard 1
