BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said Wednesday he's filing papers to form an exploratory committee to run for president, joining an increasingly crowded field of Republican hopefuls. "We've filed exploratory papers today, so the process is moving forward on that front," he told reporters Wednesday, his final day in office.
A spokesman for Romney later said the paperwork officially would be filed late Wednesday afternoon in Washington with the Federal Election Commission. The formation of the committee allows him to raise and spend money for a presidential run.
Romney's confirmation of his plans comes after a 10-day period of contemplation during a family vacation in Utah and follows several years in which he acknowledged he was considering a White House run but hadn't made a final decision about pursuing the presidency.
