Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, announced on Friday that he won’t seek re-election in 2014, but on Sunday he left the door open for a 2016 White House bid.
Rogers elaborated on the radio show he plans to host for Detroit station WJR on “Fox News Sunday.”
“So when someone walked in and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to give you the opportunity to have a discussion in people’s cars, living rooms and kitchen, every single day, from California to Iowa to New Hampshire to South Carolina. We think that you can change the needle on this debate,’ and I thought long and hard about it and thought, ‘You know, I think they’re right,'” Rogers said.
Host Chris Wallace pointed out that the congressman mentioned key GOP primary states, and asked about a potential presidential run.
“You know, Ronald Reagan back in 1980 — I don’t have to tell you — used his platform as a radio commentator to run for president. So is that a consideration for you? Are you prepared at this point to rule out any interest in 2016?” Wallace asked.
“Oh, Ronald Reagan used his platform on radio to run for president of the United States? I had no idea, Chris,” Rogers responded, smiling.
When Wallace pressed him further, Rogers didn’t reveal any concrete plans, but didn’t deny an interest in running.
“Listen, I’m going to take it where it goes,” he told Wallace. “This is a very unique opportunity that I will be able to talk about issues in ways you don’t hear on a national radio platform today, about the importance of national security, foreign policy and all of the issues facing America.”
