Newt Gingrich is officially running for president, he announced via Twitter. Gingrich, who's been talked about as a presidential candidate for nearly two decades, stepped on any surprise the announcement might have brought by pre-announcing his candidacy two days ago, tweeting "Be sure to watch Hannity this Wednesday at 9pm ET/8pm CT. I will be on to talk about my run for President of the United State." 

Against a plan black backdrop, Gingrich's says in his announcement video that he's running because, "I believe we can return America to hope and opportunity, to full employment, to real security, to an American energy program, to a balanced budget." He touts his experience working with President Reagan during the Cold War and balancing the budget under President Clinton. "There are some people who don't mind if America becomes a wreck, as long as they dominate the wreckage. But you and I know better," Gingrich says. "Let's get together and look reality in the face."

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at ereeve at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.
Elspeth Reeve