A source close to South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint told The Daily Caller it would take “an act of God” for the popular conservative to run for president in 2012.
“The Senator said he would pray about it because it will literally take an act of God to get him into the race,” said the source. “He has been extremely effective in the Senate in terms of advancing conservative principles and helping elect conservative leaders, that that is where his passion is.”
Speculation that DeMint would enter the Republican primary race in the 11th hour went into overdrive Wednesday morning when reports surfaced that the senator was actually considering a White House bid.
One former DeMint advisor told TheDC, “Through my years of working with Senator DeMint I learned that the man doesn’t lie. If he says he’s considering it, he’s considering it.”
A DeMint run would drastically shake up the current, somewhat lackluster field. He is incredibly popular in the Tea Party crowd, and the 2010 midterm elections proved his endorsement alone is a solid force in any campaign.
Another advantage to a potential DeMint campaign is the simple fact that he is from the early primary state of South Carolina. A win in the Palmetto State is key to any serious presidential campaign.
DeMint was in attendance at the South Carolina presidential debate on May 5. Then, he declined to indicate support for any of the candidates. In 2008, he endorsed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.