Family Research Council president doesn’t rule out congressional run

Tony Perkins, the president of the Christian conservative Family Research Council, wouldn’t close the door on a possible congressional run from Louisiana, his home state, in the next few years.

In an interview with The Hill Wednesday during the annual March for Life rally of abortion-rights opponents in Washington, D.C., Perkins said that Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who is running in a Republican primary to take on sitting Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu, doesn’t have strong enough conservative credentials.

“I think his problem is his record. He’s been pretty weak on the issues. If the Republicans want to win, they actually need to find a stronger candidate,” he said.

Neither of Cassidy’s two primary opponents – Air Force veteran Rob Maness or Louisiana state rep. Paul Hollis – seem to be conservative enough for him either. Still, Perkins, who served in the Louisiana House of Representatives and made an unsuccessful 2002 bid for the U.S. Senate, was not ready to jump in the race yet, saying, “I would rather somebody else do it.”

However, he added, “I never say never anymore.”

Perkins told The Hill that supporters have urged him to seek the House seat Cassidy is vacating to run for the Senate, or the Senate seat that would be vacated in 2015 if Sen. David Vitter, R-La., makes a successful run for governor. Vitter announced earlier this week he would be pursuing the seat when the term of current Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal expires.