Conservative figure Larry Elder announced his White House bid on Thursday, growing the GOP field for the 2024 presidential election.
The radio host announced his candidacy in an interview on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight. “I am announcing I am running for the presidency of the United States,” Elder told host Tucker Carlson.
“I’m the only one who didn’t serve, and I don’t feel good about that,” Elder said. “I feel I have a moral, a religious, and a patriotic duty to give back to a country that’s been so good to my family and me,” Elder said.
"America is in decline, but this decline is not inevitable. We can enter a new American Golden Age, but we must choose a leader who can bring us there. That's why I'm running for president," Elder wrote in an accompanying statement.
Elder, who will be running against former President Donald Trump, was an early supporter of the Republican commander-in-chief, and said he was “almost God-sent.” In 2018, Elder said the former president's 2016 election was “divine intervention.”
During the Thursday interview, the GOP contender said his key reasons for running include inflation, energy and securing the border, as well tackling a “lack of fathers in the home” and the Democrats’ “lie about systemic racism.”
During his race against Newsom, Elder opposed most COVID-19 restrictions, a minimum wage increase, cashless bail and defunding the police.
According to reports, Elder has a long history of making derogatory comments about women and has been accused of domestic violence including brandishing a gun in 2015 by his fiancée at the time, as well as a former female employee.
In a 1996 ad for his radio show Elder said: “Women, women exaggerate the problem of sexism,” before adding, “Blacks exaggerate the significance of racism." The ad also saw the figure say “Medicare should be abolished.” Elder also endorsed pregnancy discrimination just last year.
“When I saw those comments directed about women, directed about pregnancy discrimination, that’s not right,” said former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, a Republican, during a debate last year during Newsom's recall election. “That’s not right for anybody of any political party or background. That’s not what you want to have your governor doing or talking about.”
Elder is scheduled to speak at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition in the coming weekend, where other Republican candidates are also expected to speak, including Trump, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson.