"I agree that Santorum is better than most, but it's going to take a long time for me to forget that his and Bush's betrayal of Pat Toomey put Arlen Specter back in the Senate."
First, I am as disappointed as anyone in Toomey's failure to beat Specter. I gave Toomey money, I called some PA friends and made the case. But there is something you forget here. Santorum is a conservative, yes, but I dont recall him ever saying he wouldnt work with other kinds of Republicans.
He never betrayed you, if he had not endorsed Specter he would be betraying a friend and colleague who helped him win two times in a row...
Here's what another freeper told me: " I have given up trying to reason with the PA conservatives on here who are willing to cut their own throats to punish Rick for his support of Specter over Toomey. Specter plucked his bacon out of the fire in Rick's first senate campaign and even though I never vote for Specter (or God forbid, the Democrat) I understand that Rick was repaying a debt he owed and could not just stay out of it when Specter asked for help. Santorum has been THE BEST Senator PA has had in my voting life, as well as easily the best from the NE and with one or two possible exceptions as good or better than anybody elected from the whole country since '94."
Now, it is almost ALWAYS the case that Republicans endorse fellow incumbents unless there is something seriously amiss. If you think Specter being a RINO is a big problem, fine, I agree with that but I cant fault Santorum for assisting his colleague and I certainly am NOT going to let a liberal Democrat win because one of our own conservatives didnt stab a mod/RINO Republican colleague in the back 2 years ago. (Yes, have you actually THOUGHT about the implications of Santorum endorsing Toomey and Toomey still losing to Specter; how great would *that* be for the PA Republican party?)
"He has also compromised what I know are his principles a few more times than I would like for the sake of political expediency."
He does it a lot fewer than most... Fewer times than my conservative senators (from Texas) and fewer than Bush in the White House. I've stated before that Santorum is in the top 10 of Senators in the current Senate. Can you really name more than 10 Senators who are better conservatives than him? Then name 10 from *blue states*... pretty tough, huh?
"I'll vote for him again but not as enthusiastically as I did the last two times."
I think if you consider the dismal alternative and the fact that Hillary's power will inevitable increase if a Dem wins ... you might find some enthusiasm by election day.
No politician is perfect. But Santorum is the rare politician who is from a blue state yet has been an unabashed conservative. Give him credit for that at least. And the media is doing plenty of BASHING to beat that out of him.
The 2 statements don't go together. I actually think we're on the same page though. I don't go around bashing Santorum, and I will vote for him, but my enthusiasm has taken a hit over the last couple of years. You sounds like yours has too.