Former Gov. Terry Branstad is expected to formally enter the 2010 gubernatorial campaign Friday at noon.

Branstad, who has for months flirted with the notion of re-entering politics, will deliver a speech to students, faculty and staff of Des Moines University in a closed session, with a news conference to follow. He has served as president of the school for six years but is expected to announce his retirement during his speech.

The announcement comes as no surprise after Republican Party of Iowa Executive Director Jeff Boeyink quit his position with the party to run Branstad’s as of yet unannounced campaign earlier this week. It also follows Branstad forming a candidate committee with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board last week. The four-term governor has repeatedly said he would make an announcement about his plans by mid-October, and the conventional wisdom was that his campaign was a foregone conclusion.