Val Kilmer is sounding quite confident in his most recent comments about his potential run for governor of New Mexico, like he believes the job is his — if he decides he wants it.
“There are a lot of actors who become politicians,” Kilmer said on Tuesday, citing Ronald Reagan, Clint Eastwood and Arnold Schwarzenegger as examples. “And they always win, so I guess we’ll see.”
Kilmer was speaking to the Boston Globe at an inauguration party in Washington.
The actor, who lives on a ranch near Pecos, has been openly considering running for governor in 2010. He’s been registered but never voted in New Mexico, and only recently became a Democrat, but his entry into the 2010 primary would shift the dynamic that currently favors Lt. Gov. Diane Denish. On the Republican side, former U.S. Reps. Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce are talked about as possible candidates.
Kilmer also talked about his potential gubernatorial campaign on Tuesday with the D.C. publication The Hill, saying his answer was a “strong maybe” when asked if he’s running. He said “they” have asked him to run for governor, but didn’t specify who he was talking about.