Stepping further onto the stage of electoral politics, Ben Carson formally launched his own political action committee Wednesday night and announced he will make his first political endorsements of 10 candidates in this fall’s election.
Mr. Carson, the former pediatric neurosurgeon turned conservative sensation, told an audience of more than 5,000 listeners that the new USA First PAC will “lay the groundwork if in the future there is a decision to run … for public office.”
Mr. Carson, who rose to political fame in 2013 when he challenged President Obama at a national prayer breakfast, said that he would listen to and consider the voices of the American people who have been urging him to run in 2016.
“I continue to think that sometimes things happen in your life that are bigger than you are, that was never my intention certainly to be thinking about running for the top political office in our nation,” Mr. Carson said, adding, “but sometimes things evolve in a certain direction.”
The USA First PAC is designed to help Americans “elect people who will understand the United States,” Mr. Carson said. “They understand our culture, they understand our values, they understand that this is a country that is supposed to be for, of and by the people. Not for, of an by the government.”
Various listeners from across the country called in to personally urge Mr. Carson to run in 2016, with one woman saying “If you run for office, I will do anything I can to help you, with my money, with my time … you are the one source of salvation that we have.”
SEE ALSO: CARSON: Resisting the Islamic State’s demand for submission
Another caller prefaced her questions saying, “I’m not going to ask ’if you run,’ I’m going to ask ’when you run’ because it’s the only way my grandchildren will have a future.”
During the phone conference Mr. Carson also revealed that he is set to name ten candidates that he plans to endorse for the November midterms, coining the list “Ben’s Ten.”
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.