King Open to Presidential Run

A King in the White House?

While the 2016 Presidential election is still three years away, Rep. Peter King, R-Seaford, on Thursday said he is open to a Presidential run as a way of forcing a debate on terrorism and national security among Republican candidates.

Newsday reported the Long Island Congressman said he would consider running after the conservative website NewsMax discussed the idea of a King candidacy and called it a long shot.

"As the national debate goes forward to 2016, I'm concerned about the lack of a coherent national security and homeland security and counterterrorism policy by the Republican Party," King said.

King appeared particularly worried about the GOP being viewed by voters as having concerns that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) would carry out drone attacks in a Starbucks to kill American citizens.

King said he was taking aim at Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, a fellow Republican, after Paul filibustered for 13 hours to get the Obama administration to say it would not kill an American citizen on U.S. soil without due process.

The congressman labeled Paul’s concerns as a “total non-issue.”

While receptive to the idea of a run, King has not set up an exploratory committee since the next Presidential election is three years away.

“I'm not ruling it out. We'll see where it goes," King said.