Texas Gov. Rick Perry says his 2012 presidential run was "humbling," but he's still considering another try in 2016.
"We go through humbling events in our lives. And that one certainly was," Perry said Thursday on CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper." "Anyone who watched that campaign knows it was a very humbling time for me."
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When Tapper asked what he would do different if he decides to run again in 2016, Perry joked, "I won't have major back surgery six weeks before the announcement."
The Texas Republican admitted the surgery in 2011 likely played a part in his lackluster performance. He was bedeviled by gaffes on the campaign trail, and he became the butt of jokes when in a debate he forgot which government department he wanted to cut.
But humbling experiences aren't necessarily bad, Perry said. He told Tapper he prefers to judge people on how they pick themselves up and carry on after a failure.
Tapper noted that the Republican Party has a reputation, with the exception of George W. Bush, of nominating candidates who have run failed campaigns in the past.
"It is an option for me," Perry said of a 2016 run. He said he'll make a decision "sometime in 2015."
Perry is slated to address the annual Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday. GOP presidential hopefuls often speak there to get their message out to the conservative base.
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