US PRESIDENT BARACK Obama has announced his intention to run for re-election to the White House next year, in a video emailed to supporters this morning.

The president announced his intention to seek another term via text message and an email which contained a video entitled ‘It Begins With Us’.

His campaign website has also been launched.

The announcement was expected this week, according to reports over the weekend and by filing papers with the Federal Election Commission, Obama can begin fundraising for his 2012 operation.

He raised $750 million during his historic campaign in 2008 and it is thought he could exceed $1 billion this time around, according to ABC News.

In his email to supporters Obama said it was his intention in starting so early to inspire the kind of grassroots organisation and campaign that catapulted him to the White House in 2008.

The email read:

We’re doing this now because the politics we believe in does not start with expensive TV ads or extravaganzas, but with you — with people organizing block-by-block, talking to neighbors, co-workers, and friends. And that kind of campaign takes time to build.

So even though I’m focused on the job you elected me to do, and the race may not reach full speed for a year or more, the work of laying the foundation for our campaign must start today.

As yet no Republican challengers have officially declared their intention to run although there are numerous candidates who are speculated to be considering running against Obama including the 2008 vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.