Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) indicated Monday he’s reconsidering a Senate run.
King ruled out a campaign against Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand last summer. But with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s announcement that he’ll not run for any office this year and the re-emergence of terrorism issues, the congressman is again a possible contender.
Asked about the Senate race Monday by radio host Don Imus, King said, “Actually, I am looking at it.”
King said that a number of Republicans have spoken to him about the race but indicated that it would be hard for him to leave his post as the ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee and that the daunting fundraising issues that initially deterred him from launching a campaign were still a major concern.
“Being the top Republican on the Homeland Security Committee, I've been in a position to get a lot done for the city and the state,” King said. “But I am looking at the statewide race.”
“To do that, I'd have to give up the House seat. I'd have to run all over the state over the next year when I couldn't really be doing anything for homeland security, and I'd have to raise about $30 [million] or $40 million,” he added. “That’s more than a few bucks.”
King’s comments Monday seemed to signal that he’s closer to a run than he was in December when he told POLITICO that a campaign was unlikely.
King said then that he’d been approached by a number of top GOP operatives, including Karl Rove and New York Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox, about the race and had told them that “over the holidays I’ll discuss it with my family, but I don’t see any reason to change my mind.”
