An Iowa politics website revealed Monday that former Republican Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson will be announcing his official candidacy for president on April 4 in Iowa.
Though Iowapolitics.com reported the story, Chad Olsen, a Thompson spokesperson in Iowa, said that this is not an official plan, but a product of an intercepted private e-mail.
Despite speculation over his announcement, Thompson has been campaigning in both Iowa and New Hampshire since he formed his exploratory political action committee in January.
Jack Heath, a hired consultant for Thompson from Meridian Communications in Manchester, N.H., said Thompson is organizing a potential run for president by focusing on these two states.
""Gov. Thompson is working very hard in Iowa—on the ground attracting grassroots activists and other supporters—and as time goes on, he plans to increase his effort of both time campaigning and organization in New Hampshire,"" Heath said.
While Thompson has not yet formed a Federal Exploratory Committee, which officially establishes his intent to run, Heath said only a few candidates in the field have done so.
As the field for presidency continues to grow on both the Republican and Democratic sides, so does the difficulty of being recognized nationally.
According to UW-Madison political science professor David Canon, Thompson will most likely be seen as a long-shot candidate compared to other candidates who have had more media exposure, such as fellow Republicans former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and U.S Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona.
""He faces some fairly large obstacles in terms of national name recognition and fundraising ability,"" Canon said. ""Given that the field is so wide open right now, the election will probably come down to ability to raise money.""
Canon said name recognition of candidates like Giuliani and McCain will allow them to raise lots of money early in the process.
Despite obstacles, Executive director Mark Jefferson of the Wisconsin Republican Committee said Thompson's conservative nature could fill a void in the race.
""Thompson was a governor who was pro-gun rights, pro-life, and pro-property rights,"" Jefferson said. ""He has a chance here to be that person the conservatives look to on some of those key social issues.""
Other candidates currently in the race include Democratic U.S. Senators Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama and former Sen. John Edwards.
