(cnn) - as he considers another run for the white house, rick santorum is reaching out to working-class voters, bucking the gop on the minimum wage and touting his new book in hopes of rebranding the republican party.









in an interview with cnn's candy crowley that aired sunday on "state of the union," the former senator from pennsylvania and 2012 republican presidential candidate was candid on the possibility of launching another white house bid in 2016.









2016: "i'm looking at it"









santorum wouldn't throw his support behind a specific republican on a list of possible 2016 white house contenders but admitted that he wrote his new book "blue-collar conservatives" in part because he's considering launching another campaign.









"i'm looking for candidates who connect with average voters," he said. "someone who has a heart and an understanding of those difficult times those voters are going through, and whether it's rick santorum or somebody else - it's someone who has that appeal and connection.









"i put this book out there because i'm looking at it - whether other people join in; i hope they do. i've been talking to a lot of candidates across the country, saying, <u+2018>you really need to look at this book and take the opportunity that's present right now to create a new image for this party. it doesn't have a very good one right now,<u+2019> " santorum added.









one issue that could create conflict between republicans and average americans is their opposition to increasing the minimum wage.









dems seek to rally base over gop's block of minimum wage bill









the senate voted last month on raising the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour, but the bill failed to garner the 60 votes needed to pass. only one republican voted for the measure.









santorum joins 2012 presidential nominee mitt romney and former minnesota gov. tim pawlenty as republicans who have come out in favor of some sort of increase.









but santorum, who long voted for minimum wage increases in his time in congress, was quick to draw a distinction between his views on the issue and those of his former gop presidential rival.









"i think romney came out in favor of president obama's increase. i'm not in favor of president obama's increase. when i was in the senate and when i was in the house, i did vote for minimum wage increases that were incremental," he said.









asked by crowley whether republicans<u+2019> opposition to minimum wage increases will hurt the party's image among working-class voters, santorum said it does and cautioned that lawmakers "need to be reasonable about it and offer an alternative."









the most recent polls on the issue indicate that a strong majority of americans supports raising the minimum wage, with republicans mostly divided on the issue.









watch state of the union with candy crowley sundays at 9am et. for the latest from state of the union click here.
santorum talks 2016, minimum wage increase
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