Rick Santorum said he is going to act as though he is running for president in 2016.
The former Pennsylvania senator, now campaigning with Republican candidates up for election next month, didn’t say exactly that he is going to run in an interview with RealClearPolitics.
“I’m doing everything right now as if I’m running,” he said. “So we’re moving forward and trying to line up supporters — both grassroots and donors. We’re talking to folks who might be interested after the [midterm] election to come and help the team, so we’re starting to put the pieces together, but we’re not going to make the final decision until 2015.”
Santorum also elaborated on the “blessing” of being “underestimated and overlooked” in politics.
“I know we have a strong base of support, and I think when we have an opportunity to show our message, that base will grow and will be in places that no one will expect,” he said.
He also praised former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, whom he called a “good man” and “a strong candidate in 2008.”
When asked if he would consider talking with Huckabee — who many consider his political rival of sorts — about which of them should run again in 2016, Santorum said, “never say never.”
“At this point in the game, I think it’s sort of early to have one of those kinds of conversations, if we were ever to have one of those conversations,” he added. “But we want to make sure we have a path to the nomination, and we’re right now in the process of trying to lay that out.”
A RealClearPolitics average of polls has Santorum last among the 10 GOP potential presidential candidates.
