Former Sen. Scott P. Brown says he’s seriously looking at a run for the White House in 2016 and is sending out tentative feelers while on vacation in several Western states to gauge interest.
“I want to get an indication of whether there’s even an interest, in Massachusetts and throughout the country, if there’s room for a bipartisan problem solver,” Mr. Brown, Massachusetts Republican, said in an interview with the Boston Herald.
Mr. Brown has been talked about as a potential candidate for Massachusetts governor and also as a long shot for senator in New Hampshire — but the White House is on his list.
He’s vacationing with family in North and South Dakota and in Iowa, and also has on his schedule several mystery meetings. He confirmed his interest in the presidency while speaking to reporters at the Iowa State Fair.
“It’s 2013, and I think it’s premature, but I am curious,” he said, as Politico reported. “There’s a lot of good name recognition in the Dakotas and here. That’s pretty good.”
Before his vacation, he spoke at Fenway Park in Boston and mentioned that the Republican Party would do well to enlarge its tent and welcome more voices, including the likes of Sarah Palin, Politico reported.
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Mr. Brown lost his senatorial re-election bid to Democrat Elizabeth Warren in 2012. In 2010, he won a special election to fill the Senate seat held by the late Sen. Edward M Kennedy.
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan and a number of others also are expected to run for the Republican nomination.
On Monday morning, real-estate magnate Donald Trump said he, too, is mulling a presidential bid.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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