Rick Santorum has hired a veteran New Hampshire GOP strategist — another sign that the former Pennsylvania senator is likely to launch a bid for the presidential nomination in 2012.
Mike Biundo, who has worked for Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson’s and Pat Buchanan’s presidential campaigns, will be the state director of America’s Foundation, Santorum’s PAC.
In an interview with the National Journal earlier this week, Santorum talked about Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin. Asked if Palin had the qualifications to be president, Santorum said, “She is born in this country and she’s the right age.”
But he also had some praise for Palin. “She’s certainly been a net plus to Republican efforts,” Santorum remarked. “She was a huge factor in the last election, to me mostly to the good, maybe not all to the good. But 90 percent is pretty good.”
Asked about Romney, Santorum said it would be “very hard” for the GOP to nominate a candidate who had backed a government-run health-care plan. “I don’t think it was the right thing to do,” said Santorum.