Today, the GOP race for President took a very different turn as real estate billionaire Donald Trump entered the fray. After three decades of flirting with the idea of running for President, Trump finally made the official plunge in front of a crowd of supporters at Trump Tower in New York City. With his entrance, there are now 12 announced candidates contending for the GOP nomination.

In his speech, Trump vowed to “make America great again.” He said he will focus on creating jobs and noted that the official unemployment rate does not come close to reality. During his lengthy remarks, Trump skewered Obamacare; the President’s handling of the war against Isis, our trade policies with China and our country’s lax immigration policies among many other issues. Trump promised to build a fence on the Southern border and “have Mexico pay for that wall, mark my words.” He also pledged to rebuild the military, take a tough stance with Iran and repeal the “disaster” of Obamacare.

The essence of Trump’s speech was that he will restore the American dream. With the elegant backdrop of the Trump Tower, the Donald was showcasing to the American people his accomplishments and promising to achieve greatness for his country as well.

While the political elite have completely dismissed Trump’s chance to win the White House, in reality, there are a number of reasons why he should not be overlooked. First, he has achieved incredible success in his professional life. Trump has built a real estate empire and established a number of very successful businesses, employing thousands of people. Along with his success in the business world, Trump created a very popular television show, “The Apprentice.” This reality TV franchise has been on the air for 14 seasons, no small achievement.

With a net worth of almost $9 billion, Trump will be like no other candidate in the race. He can easily self-finance a serious nationwide campaign for the nomination. Unlike his opponents, Trump will not have to spend any time raising money. He can focus all his energies on campaigning and earning the votes of the GOP electorate.

Over the next few days, he will make numerous media appearances as well as campaign stops in Iowa and New Hampshire. While Trump has never been an official candidate, he is no stranger to public speaking and television interviews. This is one candidate who will not need any media training.

Trump will also not need to deviate from the message he outlined in his announcement speech. On the campaign trail, Trump will be able to easily motivate conservative audiences by emphasizing the signature issues he discussed today.

In business and in the media, Trump has enjoyed massive success. It remains to be seen whether this will translate into victories in the political world, but at least he does not have to worry about building name recognition among the public due to his decades in the public eye. Trump has another significant advantage over some of his rather young opponents as he has years of business and negotiation experience both nationally and internationally.

At the age of 69, Donald Trump is a household name. He has spent a career building wealth and his brand and will now attempt for the first time to build political support. However, based on his business track record, his positions on the issues and his incredible resources, it would be very unwise to discount the Donald’s chances.