ST. PAUL, Minn. — Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura is back from his part-time home in Mexico and eagerly spreading the idea he could run for the U.S. presidency in 2016.

Ventura volunteered the possibility while at Minnesota’s Capitol on Friday — and pushed back against skepticism that he would re-enter the fray after being out of office since 2003.

He says the next race is “an opportune time” for an independent like him to run because there will be no incumbent. He says he’s approached radio shock jock Howard Stern about being his running mate.

The former actor and ex-pro wrestler won election in Minnesota as a Reform Party candidate, but later disavowed party ties. He served a single term.

He was at the Capitol to mark the retirement of a veteran gubernatorial bodyguard.

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