The conservative congressman hasn’t explicitly said as much, but he’s following a path blazed by Michele Bachmann, Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul.

Each of them ignored the historic barriers and reasons why House members haven’t typically sought the presidency because they’ve were prescient enough to recognize that the equation has changed dramatically.

What changed? Thanks to Internet and direct mail fundraising and the national platform offered by cable news shows, even a House backbencher can now build a well-financed national following.