Former Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum is spending time right now making movies, but he’s not ruling out another presidential run in 2016.

Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator, said Monday he needs to consider the effect on his wife and seven children of another run, and also the financial burden.

But he said “sure” when asked if he is still open to another run.

“A year from now, I’ll have to make that decision, as to what to go into next or to stay with what I am doing,” he said.

For now, Santorum’s in the movie business. In June, he was named CEO of EchoLight Studios, a Dallas-based film production company that promotes family Christian films. He is currently in New York showing one of those films, “The Christmas Candle.”

Santorum said a decision on whether to run will “depend on a whole lot of things — my personal situation, my family.”

He added: “There’s the financial aspect of it. It’s a big financial commitment to do that for me, because running for president doesn’t pay.”

Santorum said Republicans need “an authentic conservative” as their next nominee, “someone who can go out there and lay out a positive vision for America based on the principles that made our country great.”

Some Republicans are “apologists” for GOP positions “instead of being advocates for those positions,” Santorum said. “Democrats would never nominate someone who distances themselves from large planks of the party platform.”

(AP)