Hillary Clinton is officially running for president.
"Americans have fought their way back from tough economic times, but the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top," she said in a video posted on HillaryClinton.com. "Everyday Americans need a champion, and I want to be that champion."
She also tweeted a similar statement shortly after the video was posted.
Clinton appears towards the end of the 2-minute and 18-second video, which features a series of Americans talking about what they're getting ready for in the future.
"I'm getting ready to do something too," she says, standing in front of a home with a garden and trellis in the background. "I'm running for president."
In the video, Clinton says she's running to help Americans "get ahead, and STAY ahead."
"So I’m hitting the road to earn your vote. Because it’s your time. And I hope you’ll join me on this journey," she says.
John Podesta, the chairman of her presumptive campaign, also sent an email message to Democratic backers Sunday saying "it's official: Hillary's running for president."
"She is hitting the road to Iowa to start talking directly with voters. There will be a formal kickoff event next month, and we look forward to seeing you there," he wrote.
In an email, the campaign said that Clinton is beginning to build a grassroots organization.
"Just like the families in her video who are getting ready for fresh starts, Hillary is preparing her campaign organization," the email reads. "She’s committed to spending the next 6 to 8 weeks in a “ramp up” period where her team will start to build a nation-wide grassroots organization, and she will spend her time engaging directly with voters."
Chelsea Clinton, the former secretary of state's daughter, tweeted her congratulations.
On Saturday, President Barack Obama praised his 2008 Democratic rival, saying she would be "an excellent president" with " some strong messages to deliver."
"She was a formidable candidate in 2008, she was a great supporter of mine in the general election, she was an outstanding secretary of state, she is my friend," Obama said. "I think she would be an excellent president."
Clinton enters the race as the undisputed frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, as only a few Democrats with relatively low name recognition have expressed interest in White House runs against her.
In a statement, a spokeswoman for former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is considering a run, said "All across the nation, he’s heard from Democrats that they are looking for someone who offers strong progressive values, new leadership, and the experience of getting real results."
Clinton's entry into the race also drew preemptive criticisms from some GOP presidential hopefuls.
In a web video, Republican Jeb Bush blasted "the Obama-Clinton foreign policy that has damaged relationships with our allies and emboldened our enemies."
On NBC's Meet the Press, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul suggested that the Clintons "think they're above the law," and his campaign announced a new cable television ad that calls her "a path to the past."
And Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin criticized Clinton's foreign policy and said she represents more of the same.
IN-DEPTH
- Obama: Hillary Clinton Would Be an 'Excellent President'
- Will I, Won't I? The Many Times Clinton Hinted at a Run
- GOP Candidates Sharpen Attacks on Clinton Ahead of 2016 Announcement