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15 Things To Know About Carly Fiorina, Who Just Announced She's Running For President

She's never held a public office before, but could 2016 be Fiorina's year?

While there's no shortage of candidates for the 2016 Presidential election, Carly Fiorina's announcement that she's looking to move into the White House gives Republicans their first female option.

Fiorina joins Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz and Ben Carson as potential republican contenders.

Like Ben Carson, Fiorina has been a leader in her field, but she's pretty new to politics. Here's what else you should know about her.

She's a Republican from Virginia.

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<> on April 25, 2015 in Waukee, Iowa.

Though she was born in Texas and has ran for office in California, she and her family now reside in Mason Neck, Virginia.

She's never held a public office before.

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Despite her 2010 Senate bid, which she lost to Barbara Boxer, Fiorina isn't necessarily an experienced politician. She says that her private sector and life experience, however, works to her advantage, distinguishing her from her more-seasoned competition.

She has a husband and two step-daughters.

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Carly Fiorina Addresses The Media Day After Midterm Elections

She married Frank Fiorina in 1985 and helped raise his two daughters from a previous marriage: Traci and Lori Ann.

She's a breast cancer survivor.

In 2009, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy. She made a full recovery in time for her 2010 senate race against Barbara Boxer.

She's the former CEO of HP.

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Carly Fiorina Campaigns In Iowa Ahead Of Announcement Of Presidential Bid

Fiorina has served as a high-ranking executive at AT&T and its spin-off company Lucent, before she left to work as CEO of Hewlett-Packard. She was the first woman to lead a Fortune 20 company. She was forced to resign in 2005, though she walked away with more than $20 million in severance.

She voted for Prop 8.

Carly Fiorina Attends Primary Election Night Party

Although she says she believes LGBT couples should be allowed to seek Civil Unions, Fiorina supported California's Proposition 8 — which made same-sex marriage illegal — while running for U.S. Senate in 2010.

She's in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade.

Though she downplays its importance to her campaign, Fiorina has said that, given the opportunity, she would overturn Roe v. Wade.

She wants to simplify the tax code.

Fiorina says that the tax code in the United States needs simplifying. She's also an advocate for beginning all funding discussions with a base budget of zero each year, to limit unnecessary spending.

She didn't vote in several past elections.

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Carly Fiorina Leads Discussion On Congressional Growth Agenda

Although she is a "lifelong Republican," Fiorina came under fire during her 2010 campaign for only voting in 6 of the 14 California elections she'd been living in the state for. She also did not vote during her time living in New Jersey.

She commented on her record during an event in 2010 saying "... I will provide no excuse for it. You know, people die for the right to vote. And there are many, many Californians and Americans who exercise that civic duty on a regular basis. I didn't. Shame on me."

She worked on Sen. John McCain's 2008 campaign.

2008 Republican National Convention: Day 3

In McCain's 2008 run, Fiorina served as his economic advisor.

She thinks the government can't do much about climate change.

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California Senate Candidates Barbara Boxer And Meg Whitman Debate Issues

She's come a long way from her 2010 stance on the issue equating climate change concerns with worrying about "the weather," but Fiorina has said that she doesn't think it's possible for one nation or state to reverse climate change.

Hillary's memoir looks just like hers.

Fiorina's 2006 memoir "Tough Choices" shares a lot (from name to appearance) with Clinton's 2014 "Hard Choices." She doesn't seem bothered, though.

She believes the right to own guns is very important.

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She doesn't agree with bans on assault weapons, and also thinks that select people on the No-Fly list should still be allowed to own guns.

She has high standards for education.

Carly Fiorina Speaks At Panel Discussion On Conservative Principles And Women

She has praised "No Child Left Behind" and "Race To The Top" for the high standards set in education.

Also: This happened.

This ad, criticizing her competitors from 2010, features a lot of sheep, stock photos and a grown man crawling around with a sheep pelt and a demon mask on.

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