throw one's hat in the ring

throw (one's) hat in(to) the ring

To announce that one is going to be competing with others, especially in a political election. I'm thinking about throwing my hat in the ring for class president! As has been widely predicted, yesterday the governor threw his hat into the ring for the presidential election next year.
See also: hat, ring, throw
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

throw one's hat in the ring

Also, toss one's hat in the ring. Announce one's candidacy or enter a contest, as in The governor was slow to throw his hat in the ring in the senatorial race. This term comes from boxing, where throwing a hat in the ring formerly indicated a challenge; today the idiom nearly always refers to political candidacy. [c. 1900]
See also: hat, ring, throw
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
See also:
  • titfer
  • pass the hat
  • pass the hat (around)
  • keep (something) under (one's) hat
  • keep something under your hat
  • keep under hat
  • keep under one's hat
  • top hat
  • stovepipe hat
  • (as) black as (one's) hat
References in periodicals archive
Although today it usually applies to candidates for political posts, the term to throw one's hat in the ring comes from the early days of boxing when a hat tossed into the ring was a challenge to a fighter.
It's a fact