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“I’m not ruling it out,” he said in an interview with the Ottawa Citizen.

“I’m listening to friends, fellow Conservatives about the future, and I’m not close to making a decision, but I’m actively considering what role I should play in the future.”

Kenney said he has begun “very intensive consultations” with Conservatives across Canada, and that a lot of people have been encouraging him to enter the race.

Conservatives will elect their new leader on May 27, 2017,but some candidates have already declared, with at least one more expected to do so before the Conservative Party of Canada holds a policy convention in Vancouver a month from now.

Former Conservative ministers Kellie Leitch and Maxime Bernier have already jumped into the race.

Peter MacKay, one of the top lieutenants in Stephen Harper’s government, is weighing a possible run for the Tory crown, as are Tony Clement and Lisa Raitt.

Michael Chong, another former minister in the Tory government, is expected to announce sometime before the policy convention that he’s running for the leadership.

There has also been a push from some Conservative caucus members and grassroots Tories alike for the party to allow current interim leader Rona Ambrose to run for the permanent leadership. However, party rules stipulate that by accepting the interim leadership, Ambrose is barred from seeking the permanent job.

Kenney’s decision on whether to seek the party leadership will have huge ramifications on the rest of the field, including potentially influencing whether others join the race, and where valuable organizers and grassroots members align their support.