Rick Santorum, who hasn’t committed to staying in Florida for the last few days before and the day of the primary, stressed to reporters today that he has no intention of dropping out. “I guarantee you we’re going to be in this race for a long time,” he said, per CNN. Instead, Santorum indicated that he might get a head start on campaigning in states voting in February.
Earlier, when Santorum was rising, he appeared as upbeat, positive, and in good spirits. He's a social conservative and was presenting conservative social values in a good light and with positive emotion. Then, somebody said "hey you need to get tough and look more like a leader and less like a youth pastor." This was translated on stage to an angry Santorum haranguing his competition about values, amongst other things, turning him into the worst caricature of an angry fundamentalist Christian. It's too late to wind that back to the friendly sweater-vest wearing youth pastor... he should drop out before he does his cause, and many of ours, any more harm.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI just haven't seen much of that Rick Santorum. I suspect Santorum is thinking he needs to get back to his winning Iowa strategy of retail politics and figures Florida is a lost cause. This points to a serious long-term strategy as it shows he's conserving some funds and trying to win enough delegates to be a force in the race. It's more a VP strategy than one to win the nomination, but if Gingrich implodes it could morph into that.
Given that Gingrich could very well implode, only Romney (and possibly Paul) supporters would want Santorum out of the race.
PS The CAPTCHA was "bitter end." Even CAPTCHA thinks Rick's sticking around!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHe's onto something, there, seems like g--d--- years already.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI have to say, one of my least favorite political trends of the past few years is the way politicians now refer to themselves as "we."
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSantorum knows he's probably a few days away from seeing another surge in support as the air leaks out of the Newt balloon.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThere's being in a race, and then there's being "competitive" in the race. I imagine it's likely that Santorum will continue to poll at a minimum level (at least) that makes him eligible for debate participation. But, as FL demonstrates, it's incredibly expense to compete when you don't have much in the way of ad money. IA and NH were cheap ad markets, and they were states that lent themselves well to old-style retail politics The rest aren't. It's going to be a televised ad war from here on out, and it's a war that Santorum just doesn't have the resources to compete in.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI am beginning to think, barring a new entrant, that Santorum is potentially the biggest threat to Obama and they know it. His campaign is about something, and while the media would thrash him unmercifully over gay marriage and abortion, they would in doing so draw scrutiny of Obama's positions on these issues which are either contrary to his base (gay marriage--he's opposed) or potentially problematic for independents (public funding for abortion and his his state senate record on partial birth abortion). Santorum also has the greatest appeal to the white working class and Catholics--two groups I believe Obama won in '08 and needs in the fall.
If Newt completely implodes and that's looking likely, there is a chance of another Santorum surge which would give him another opportunity. He should co-opt Daniels SOTU respose message tonight, while Mitt and Newt pummel one another over petty trivialities--like who liked Reagan more decades ago.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSantorum spending time and money campaigning in Floriduh, winner takes all, he's 3rd, would be like a Republican nominee spending time and money campaigning in California (3rd behind Democrat and NOTA).
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRace?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMore like an interminable plod.