MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — Georgia Sen. Burt Jones said Wednesday that one of the biggest problems confronting him right now as he ponders his political future is that he enjoys the role he now has as a state legislator.

Even though two well-known politicians already have announced their intentions to seek the seat of governor in 2018, Jones’ name continues to surface in political circles as a possible third GOP candidate. Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Secretary of State Brian Kemp are already campaigning for the seat currently held by Gov. Nathan Deal, now in his second term as the state’s top political leader.

“Probably the biggest problem I have is that I actually enjoy what I’m doing right now,” Jones said with a laugh, as he talked about his political aspirations with The Union-Recorder. “I really do enjoy what I’m doing, because of the fact that I can still run my business and I’ve got a very flexible schedule with family and everything. And that’s important to me.”

Jones, a graduate of the University of Georgia where he served as co-captain of the 2002 SEC Championship football team, said he wasn’t going to say that running for governor wasn’t intriguing to him.

“Right now, I’m weighing all of my options, and looking to see if there is an opportunity lying out there in the pits,” said Jones, an insurance executive in his family’s business in Jackson, who is in his fifth year as a state senator. “You can make up all kinds of reasons not to do something, but the biggest issue for me would be that I get a good comfort level, and that this is something my family allows me to take on, and then I’ll make a decision.”

Jones said he plans to make a decision about his political future within the next couple of months.

“I’m looking at all the parameters of what it would cost, and what kind of team I could put together, etc.,” Jones said of possibly becoming the third Republican incumbent state office holder to run for governor.

If such were to happen, Jones would find himself running against men he said he thinks a lot of and whom he called friends in Cagle and Kemp.

“I think a lot of both of those guys, and consider them friends,” Jones said. “That’s another thing you have to consider.”

Jones said he and many others have been holding meetings to discuss his political future.

“It’s not one of those things that you can just make a knee-jerk reaction and say well, I’m going to run for governor,” Jones said. “It’s one of those things you have to give a lot of thought about. It’s a big state, and you want to make sure that you have a pretty good presence all around the state. I’m being encouraged by people from around the state. They are people who I take a lot of stock in, and they are people that I admire and look up to.”

Jones said he had been humbled by those people, and that it had really gotten his attention when they approached him about running for governor.

“If, and that’s the big word, if, I would announce my intentions at some sort of an event,” said Jones, noting that it could happen at a political fundraising rally at an area venue.