I would hope that if Santorum were the nominee, he’d attract that demographic. Some years ago I was monitoring a gubernatorial election here in VA where in the closing weeks of the campaign, the D candidate made a huge issue of the R’s pro-life position (Wilder v Coleman, c. 1989?). I was shocked to see the white, middle class, family women at my then-neighborhood flocking to the polls to vote for Wilder. It was (at least then) a very R precinct. Wilder carried it by @ 60%, well above his statewide performance. The election was so close, Coleman got a free recount that turned out to be, essentially, the end of his political career. (well, except until John Warner resurrected him to run as an independent spoiler in ‘94 to fracture the R vote and assure that Chuck Robb would beat Ollie North for the U.S. Senate seat). My faith in white, middle class women to vote R was demolished that day.
That’s strange since Reagan ran as pro-life as did Bush.
That’s strange since Reagan ran as pro-life as did Bush.
Edinva, the same think happened in TX a year later, when suburban women turned against Clayton W. Williams, Jr., and narrowly elected Ann Richards, who stressed her support for abortion. Had Williams won, there would have been no opening for GWB in 1994!