Santorum didn't lose, Casey won.
He won on the strength and fame of his father, who the people in that district *loved*.
Santorum could win. Big.
Uh...I think the former took place as well.
If the candidate he ran against won only because of his father, that is even more of an indicator that Santorum doesn't have enough of what it takes.
I disagree. I'm in PA -- Casey didn't win. No one I know, republican or democrat, liked Casey. He stood for absolutely nothing, and his campaign was a pathetically transparent cut-and-paste of donk talking points.
Santorum left his base on spending issues, and alienated others with all the stupidity around where he lived, cyberschools, etc. If he can't win PA, he's not a viable national candidate.