Presidential campaign announcements in the United States

The expression to "throw one's hat in the ring", describing a challenger in boxing, was popularized by the Theodore Roosevelt 1912 presidential campaign.

[4] There has been a trend of announcements coming earlier, and even being preceded by an invisible primary phase[5] and often as a first public step by an exploratory committee.

[7] The timing of announcements has to balance aspects of first-mover advantage,[8] name recognition,[9] political momentum, and campaign fundraising for early or late entrants.

[10] Financial rules from the Federal Elections Commission also disincentivize candidates from clearly stating their intentions early.

The John Delaney 2020 presidential campaign announcement on July 28, 2017, is thought to be the earliest by a serious candidate for at least 45 years.