Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum announced Tuesday that he is "definitely considering" running for president in 2016.
The 2012 GOP presidential candidate said he will make a decision on the matter "sometime next year" and he's not "doing anything inconsistent with running for president," according to Patriot-News. If he did decide to participate, Santorum would would run for the Republican nomination.
The announcement was made in Mechanicsburg, Pa., as Santorum stood in front of a large U.S. flag and talked about important goals a president should have. Intentions mentioned included reducing regulation, creating jobs that could support families, encouraging two-parent homes and improving education.
Santorum also brought up his past while talking about how he grew up in western Pennsylvania and didn't know anyone from a country club, Patriot-News reported. He said nobody "looked down their noses" at the kids who pursued a career in the trades. He also stated that the Republican Party should focus more on representing blue-collar workers, and that someone, like him, who was capable of uniting people, should lead such a platform.
"I'm hoping he runs again," said Nancy Garner, a 62-year-old who drove from Perry County to the event with her husband. "He's conservative, for the working people, and not depending on the government."
The possibility of Santorum running for president was also brought up in an interview with Steve Malzberg from Newsmax Tuesday. When asked about his plans for 2016, Santorum responded by saying, "Well, I'll be in Iowa in two weeks," Mediaite reported.
"Right now, we're doing everything consistent with taking the shot at 2016," he said. "But we're not going to make any decisions until next year."
Malzberg had to end the interview just as Santorum started to discuss his concerns with "where this country's going."
