Election 2012: Rick Santorum
The GOP race after Santorum (Wednesday’s Trail Mix video)
The Republican presidential race had a big shake-up Tuesday when former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) announced that he was suspending his campaign.
What happens next? We take a look in today’s Trail Mix video:
Can Pennsylvania save Santorum? (Wednesday’s Trail Mix)
In the wake of Mitt Romney’s trio of wins in Tuesday’s contests, what was already an uphill battle for former senator Rick Santorum now looks to be an increasingly difficult one.
There are three weeks stand between Tuesday’s contests and the next ones at the end of the month -- a period during which Romney is likely to continue rounding up support while Santorum endeavors to head off a loss in his home state of Pennsylvania.
What are the stakes there for Santorum? Today’s Trail Mix video (we’re keeping tabs on the GOP contest from on the road in Arizona) takes a look:
Santorum for veep? Not likely, says top Romney surrogate
Former senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) may have plenty of political opportunities ahead of him — but a run as Mitt Romney’s vice president choice isn’t likely to be among them.
Former senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R). (Jae C. Hong — Associated Press)
The reason? Santorum’s “softness under pressure,” former New Hampshire governor and top Romney backer John H. Sununu (R) tells National Review Online’s Robert Costa:
Santorum on potential 2016 bid: Are you kidding me?
Former senator Rick Santorum on Friday dismissed the notion that he may run for president again in 2016 if his current bid doesn’t pan out.
In a phone interview with Fox Business Network’s Neil Cavuto, Santorum said he’s not planning on a second presidential bid down the line.
(Video courtesy of The Hill’s Christian Heinze)
“If you don’t do it this time around, is this Rick Santorum’s way of saying, ‘I’m really running for 2016?’” Cavuto asked Santorum.
Trayvon Martin case has been poorly handled, Santorum says
In remarks after President Obama made his first public comment on the matter, former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum said Friday that the handling by Florida law enforcement of the Trayvon Martin case has been “horrible” and that the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law should not apply to the shooter, George Zimmerman.
“Well, ‘Stand Your Ground’ is not doing what this man did,” Santorum said Friday morning at a campaign event in Monroe, La. “There’s a difference between ‘Stand Your Ground’ and doing what he did. And it’s a horrible case. It’s chilling to hear what happened, and of course the fact that law enforcement didn’t immediately go after and prosecute this case is another chilling example of horrible decisions made by people in this process.”
Mitt Romney goes on attack (Speech transcript, video)
Mitt Romney was relaxed and sunny as he laid into President Obama Tuesday night, fresh off his second big win in less than a week.
His wife Ann subtly referenced her husband’s Sunday Puerto Rico victory in her introduction, thanking the campaign’s supporters there.
Rick Santorum: ‘Big things are adrift’ (Video, Speech transcript)
Rick Santorum gave a rambling, populist speech after losing the Illinois primary, one that showed he has no intention of dropping out of the race.
He predicted a big win in Louisiana this Saturday, as well as a victory in Pennsylvania in five weeks, and added that he was thankful for the delegates he did get in Illinois.
One Illinois Republican voter’s journey to a presidential pick
DeKALB, Ill. — Richard Waddell, a retired engineer and salesman of industrial storage equipment, might sum up the unexpectedly tight race in the Land of Lincoln.
A staunch conservative, Waddell is looking for someone to beat President Obama, first and foremost, but also wants it to be someone with great passion and intellect who will aggressively confront him. “I’ve been between a rock and a hard place,” Waddell said Tuesday afternoon at a senior center in this small town about 65 miles west of Chicago.
It’s a common spot for much of the electorate, as the race appears to be very close based on a recent Chicago Tribune poll that showed Mitt Romney leading Rick Santorum, 35 to 31 percent; a full 16 percent were undecided on any of the four remaining candidates in the race, with the potential to swing the race in either direction.
Santorum blasts Romney: ‘Who do you trust?’
This story has been updated.
TOPEKA, Kansas -- Rick Santorum wants a one-on-one battle against Mitt Romney for the GOP nod -- and he’s stepping up his attacks on the Republican frontrunner in the hopes that a two-man race is what he’ll soon have.
(Billy Weeks - Reuters)
In an address to more than 200 supporters in the atrium of a train station here, Santorum used some of his most scathing rhetoric yet against Romney, blasting the former Massachusetts governor as a false conservative and taking aim at his record on health care, spending and other issues.
As governor, Santorum argued, Romney was “for a government-mandated health insurance program. He was for adopting Romneycare as a national model.”
But in the 2012 campaign, he continued, Romney has disavowed his previous comments on the Massachusetts law.
“You know what, ladies and gentlemen?” Santorum said. “We already have one person who doesn’t tell the truth to the American people. We don’t need another. Governor Romney reinvents himself for whatever the political occasion calls for.”
He continued: “Trust. This election is about trust. Who do you trust?”
Who’s winning the women’s vote? (Thursday’s Trail Mix)
It’s International Women’s Day, so what better day to ask the question: Was there a gender gap on Super Tuesday?
The answer: Yes and no.
When it comes to how women and men split their votes in Tuesday’s Ohio, Tennessee and Georgia primaries, there’s not that big a difference, as The Post’s polling director, Jon Cohen explains. The votes of men and women in those states tended to differ by a maximum of only about 5 percentage points.
But when you dig a little bit deeper, the exit polls show some warning signs for former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum.
Santorum: Romney thinks he’s ‘ordained by God’ to win Republican nod
Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum
(Jim Young - Reuters)
LENEXA, Kansas -- Rick Santorum is trying to turn the tables on the Romney camp’s suggestion that it would take an “act of God” for Santorum to come out ahead in the GOP delegate race, telling reporters here at his first campaign event since Super Tuesday that Mitt Romney must now believe that he’s God’s chosen candidate in the race.
“What won’t they resort to try to bully their way through this race?” Santorum asked reporters after addressing more than 200 supporters at a graphics company. “If the governor thinks he’s now ordained by God to win, then let’s just have it out.”
Hitting a familiar theme for his underdog campaign, he cast the dynamics of his race against the former Massachusetts governor as “the man versus the machine -- they’ve got the machine and they’ve got the insiders and the big money, and we’ve got the people.”
Earmarks? Taking one for the team? Not such a bad thing, say some Santorum backers (voices)
MALVERN, Ohio – For John and Barbara Gifford, Mitt Romney’s attacks on Rick Santorum’s record on Capitol Hill ring false.
The Giffords, who cast their primary ballots for Santorum Tuesday night, said as they exited the First Christian Church here that Romney was just trying to make Santorum look bad for casting votes that any member of Congress would be expected to cast during the course of his career.
“I understand Santorum going into Congress and finding out how things work, and finding out about earmarks – and finding out, yeah, you vote for something bad that’s in with a whole bunch of stuff that’s good,” said Barbara Gifford, 67-year-old retiree.
Super Tuesday: In Tennessee, some Santorum fans
NOLENSVILLE, Tenn.—Among the major Super Tuesday states, Tennessee’s contest is the one where former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum had been, for a time at least, doing best.
And indeed, at the historic, white clapboard Nolensville First United Methodist Church, about 20 miles southwest of Nashville, Santorum found enthusiastic fans.
“I think he’s the one who fears God the most,” said Chris Newell, an insurance salesmen, 58, from Nolensville. “I think he stands for conservative principles.”
Andrew Breitbart’s death a great loss, Santorum and Romney say
This story has been updated.
DALTON, Ga. -- Republican presidential contenders responded with sorrow Thursday to the news that conservative publisher and activist Andrew Breitbart had died.
Rick Santorum told reporters here Thursday morning that he was “crestfallen” to hear of Breitbart’s death.
Conservative activist Andrew Breitbart. (Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)“That’s shocking,” said Santorum, who was holding a rally at Dalton City Hall, said upon being told the news of Breitbart’s passing.
Gingrich super PAC spokesman: Santorum ‘might win if he could speak English’
This story has been updated.
A campaign that’s already seen its fair share of sharp attacks took a novel turn Wednesday morning when the spokesman for a super PAC backing former House speaker Newt Gingrich took aim at former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum’s ability to speak the English language.
Former senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.). (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Reports National Journal’s Matt Vasilogambros:
Speaking on MSNBC’s Jansing & Co., Rick Tyler said that the outcome of last night’s primaries in Arizona and Michigan gave Gingrich an opening.
“Rick Santorum failed to win, but Mitt Romney failed to inspire,” Tyler said. “Rick Santorum might win if he could speak English.”
Tyler is a senior adviser to “Winning our Future,” the super PAC backing Gingrich.
Ga. Gov. Nathan Deal, a Newt Gingrich supporter, kicks off college initiative following Santorum remarks
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R)
(Associated Press)
Days after GOP presidential contender Rick Santorum first made headlines by calling President Obama a “snob” for wanting “everybody in America to go to college,” a prominent backer of former House speaker Newt Gingrich in a key Super Tuesday state is kicking off the latest phase of his plan to increase the state’s number of college graduates over the next several years.
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R) on Tuesday announced the latest part of the Peach State’s “Complete College Georgia” program. The initiative, which was launched six months ago, is aimed at boosting the number of college graduates in Georgia by 250,000 by the year 2020.
And as the release from Deal’s office notes, those graduates can include recipients of “a one-year certificate, an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree” – language that mirrors both Obama’s and Santorum’s phrasing when it comes to higher education.
Michigan, Arizona primary day: Is Rick Santorum gaining on Mitt Romney?
It’s the final countdown.
Today is primary day in the two big states before Super Tuesday, Arizona and Michigan. They’re both states that Mitt Romney had been expected to win easily – until Rick Santorum began gaining momentum among conservative voters as the “not-Romney” alternative.
Of the two, Michigan is by far the more competitive race – the candidates have been spending the bulk of their time there in recent days, and both Romney and Santorum hold their primary-night parties there tonight.
Rick Santorum has Twitter talking before Michigan | @MentionMachine
Rick Santorum is topping the @MentionMachine leaderboard heading into the Michigan and Arizona primaries on Tuesday, but all that buzz doesn’t appear to be tilting in his favor.
Santorum was mentioned in 62,592 more tweets in the past week than Mitt Romney, with whom he is deadlocked in recent polls in Michigan. Romney was mentioned in 48 more media stories tracked by Trove and @MentionMachine.
Today on the trail: Arizona CNN Republican debate and Rick Santorum’s opportunity
TUCSON, Ariz. -- The next 24 hours could be the most decisive of former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum’s political career.
Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum speaks during a campaign rally at the El-Zaribah Shrine Auditorium, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, in Phoenix, Arizona. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)The four candidates for the Republican presidential nomination square off Wednesday night in a CNN debate in Mesa, Ariz., their last debate before the Feb. 28 primaries in Michigan and Arizona and the Super Tuesday contests early next month.
If Santorum’s remarks at a Phoenix town hall Tuesday night are any indication, he plans to give a strong defense of some of his more controversial campaign-trail comments, trying to use the controversy that has flared in recent days to his own advantage and casting himself as a more authentic candidate than former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine endorses Rick Santorum, rescinding support for Mitt Romney
Ohio attorney general and former Sen. Mike DeWine endorsed former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum in Columbus Friday afternoon.
DeWine had previously endorsed former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. He is the most high profile defection from Romney’s campaign so far.
“You have to give people a reason to believe that under your leadership, America will be better,” DeWine said in a statement. “Rick Santorum has done that. Sadly, Governor Romney has not.
“For some time now, it has been clear to me that Rick Santorum should be the Republican nominee for President. To be frank, I’ve had some sleepless nights. I could not, in good conscience, beon record endorsing Governor Romney when I knew in my heart that Rick Santorum was the better candidate.”
DeWine had been a supporter of Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty but backed Romney in October after Pawlenty left the race.
“I think he has both the ability to unite the party and have general election appeal,” DeWine said then of Romney. “I think the issue in this campaign is going to be jobs.
“I think people are going to feel a lot more comfortable with Mitt Romney being able to deal with this than Barack Obama.”
Rick Santorum continues to distance himself from supporter Foster Freiss’s contraception joke
Former senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) on Friday continued to distance himself from controversial remarks about contraception made by one of his top supporters.
Appearing on CBS’s “This Morning,” Santorum called the comments by supporter Foster Friess “a bad joke,” and said he shouldn’t have to comment on it.
Today on the trail: Newt Gingrich returns to Georgia; Idaho gets love from Mitt Romney, Ron Paul
Former House speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) makes a campaign-trail return to his home state today, holding two events this evening in the Peach State ahead of its Super Tuesday primary.
Former House speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.). (Matthew Cavanaugh/Getty Images)The trip comes one week after former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R) made a Georgia visit of his own. It also comes as Gingrich is struggling to stay relevant in the GOP presidential race.
Gingrich’s main rival for the non-Romney vote, former senator Rick Santorum (R-Ga.), is planning a visit to Georgia this weekend. In the meantime, Santorum is spending his Friday in two other big states – Michigan (where polls show him in a competitive race against Romney) and Ohio (where we’ll catch up with him later today).
Rick Santorum’s daughter Bella is hospitalized; candidate cancels Sunday morning campaign plans
Rick Santorum’s campaign announced late Saturday that his 3-year-old daughter Isabella, seriously ill with a genetic disorder, has been admitted to Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia, and he is canceling his plans to campaign in Florida on Sunday morning.
Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum
(Justin Sullivan - GETTY IMAGES)
However, the campaign’s statement said, the former Pennsylvania senator plans to resume campaigning as soon as possible. Santorum’s campaign says he currently plans to take part his scheduled 2 p.m. rally in Sarasota and, as of now, has only canceled his morning plans to attend a Miami church.
His daughter, known as Bella, has the genetic disorder Trisomy 18. When Santorum speaks of her illness publicly, it comes in conjunction with his goal of overturning President Obama’s health-care overhaul, which Santorum says is a threat to those like Bella, “on the margins of life.”
The full statement is below:
Rick Santorum flies the friendly skies, with reporters
ABOARD US AIRWAYS EXPRESS FLIGHT 3442 -- This is what it’s like to be the other Rick running for president:
(Philip Rucker)
You carry your own bags aboard a regional jet headed for New Hampshire. Even at Washington’s Reagan National Airport, nobody recognizes you, save for the gaggle of reporters getting on same flight. You end up in Seat 2D – stuck between this reporter and CNN’s Peter Hamby. “Trapped!,” you tweet. “Help!!”
You prepare for the next day’s debate by reading about how Texas Gov. Rick Perry is preparing for it: Mock debates with a Mitt Romney impersonator, boning up on the issues, getting more sleep.
So what is Rick Santorum doing to prepare?
“Candidly?” he says, looking up from his New York Times. “Nothing.”
Mock rehearsals?
“I’ve never done one in my entire political career.”
Dreaming up new zingers?
“I try not to script it at all.”
Huddling with his consultants and aides?
“I don’t have consultants… I travel by myself. I like it that way. I’m not afraid of reporters. I should be, but I’m not.”
So it goes to be running at the bottom of the big pack of Republicans vying for the 2012 presidential nomination. Nearly everyone else in the race has had his or her moment, but not Santorum.
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