DeMint to Sit Out 2014 Campaign Cycle

Jim DeMint, who announced he would leave the U.S. Senate in January to take a job as head of the conservative Heritage Foundation, told Politico he would not be filling any political roles in 2014 — including endorsing candidates.

DeMint’s political activity as head of a 501(c)3 non-profit organization is limited by federal law, which may be why he is publicly stating he’ll stay away from politics for the next couple of years.

"I am anxious to get away from the political angles, the partisan angles and focus on just the ideas," DeMint said. "Hopefully candidates will embrace these ideas. But part of what we have to do is convince Americans that the ideas are right."

There has been speculation that DeMint is considering a 2016 run at the White House since in November when he announced he’d leave the Senate before the new Congress begins.

In an interview with McClatchy on Nov. 28, DeMint said he was “not ruling anything out,” but that he had no plans to run for president in the next election.