WASHINGTON (CNN) -- He declared he was running for president only two days after the midterm elections. Now Iowa Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack is slated to kick-off his presidential run with a five-state barnstorming tour across key battleground states, his campaign announced Monday.

Beginning November 30, Vilsack will rally in Iowa before heading to New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and South Carolina. Vilsack will wrap-up his multi-state tour in Washington, DC on December, 4th.

Vilsack, who in 1998 became the first Democrat elected to Iowa's gubernatorial post in 30 years, was considered to be on 2004 Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry's shortlist of potential running mates.

Vilsack is the first presidential candidate to fully throw his hat into the race. Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, has formed an exploratory committee -- a preliminary step Vilsack bypassed.

Former New York GOP Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-California, and former Bush Administration Health Secretary Tommy Thompson have indicated they plan to form exploratory committees in the coming weeks.