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After being a strong supporter of Sarah Palin, I overcame my disappointment with her decision not to run for the Republican presidential nomination and got on the 'Cain Train', only to see Cain run off by scandals that I still believe were bogus. I then looked at Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich. Perry was gaff-prone and seemed to be unprepared to run for president, as if it were a last-minute decision with no real substance to his candidacy beyond the fact that Obama has to go, which we already knew. Bachmann was a politically attractive conservative but lost momentum after the Iowa Straw Poll win and never seemed to regain it. Newt is smart and feisty but too much of a Washington insider, too mercurial and lately, too 'angry' for my taste. That left Rick Santorum. Yes, he voted 'wrong' on some issues while a U.S. senator. Realistically, you could say that about any Republican senator. No politician is going to be ideologically 'pure' 100% of the time. To expect that kind of conservative ideological perfection is naive.

Santorum is a social conservative and I admire that although I find him a bit bland but serious and not given to Newt's ego tantrums or Perry and Bachmann's gaffs. He may not be able to defeat Romney but I'm willing to support him in the fight because I do believe that Santorum can defeat Obama. In fact, my neighbors dog could probably defeat Obama at this point. He is a defeat waiting to happen and we don't need to 'lean to the left' to accomplish Obama's defeat. That is the Democrats meme - and it is fallacious. Santorum can beat Romney but only when we stop splitting the vote 4 or 5 ways every primary and actually get behind one candidate even if that candidate isn't the political man of our dreams, as it were. I could still support Gingrich or Perry should they emerge as the ultimate GOP presidential nominee. However, I can't support Romney, Ron Paul or Jon Huntsman. Fortunately, aside from Romney, the other two have little chance to win the GOP nomination. Should Romney end up the Republican presidential nominee, I'll have a tough decision to make, I know. However, Romney can be stopped in South Carolina. If not there, then he is likely going to win the nomination. I don't believe many FReepers want that to happen. This one certainly does not.

.....Romney can be stopped in South Carolina. If not there, then he is likely going to win the nomination....

You've written a thoughtful post but I must caution, the states that have pushed up their primaries are being heavily punished and their delegates are not something to brag about.

This isn't the time to fold. Santorum is where he is because the "surge" game ended on his lap up the polls, just before the Iowa Caucus vote was taken. THAT is (was) his appeal. He's already dropping in SC.