Appearing on Fox and Friends, Rivera said he could "very well" stand in his home state, New Jersey, in 2014. New Jersey has not sent a Republican to the senate for more than 40 years but were he to run, Rivera, 69, said he would bring a new voice to the GOP.

"I really do believe as a modern Republican that there is a point of view that is unrepresented in states like New Jersey," he said...

"The senate race is still a good year away, I have got some time to hone my message," he said, before going on to imply that his message would be fiscally conservative but socially progressive.

"There can be a new vitalization of the Republican Party, a concept where we extol the virtues of good business and fiscal policy and we fight the deficit and we don't advocate the printing of money in obscene amounts just to cover our debts," he said.

But he made it clear that on social issues at least, he would not follow the traditional Republican line. "I believe in immigration reform," he said. "I believe in gay rights and gay marriage. I believe in choice – not obscenely, but I believe in Roe vs Wade."