Why would you think that? He does just fine against Newt and blows Romney away in the head to head.
Reality check--Santorum is a nice guy, but he does neither.
He hasn't gone against Newt one on one. And just where does he blow Romney away head to head?
The rest of America sees Rick in a not very nice light--a one note Johnny about abortion. They think he is a radical right winger, rightly or wrongly. And a lot of his positions in Congress were not small gov't conservatives ones. And let's not forget groveling for Specter against Toomey, who actually WAS a conservative.
Santorum would make a fine VP or Sec'y of State, but Obama and the Dems are going for the jugular, and we need someone who knows how to play that game.
To me Newt is like Grant--Lincoln didn't care if Grant was a drunkard or not--he fought and won battles. We need a scrapper, because this election is not going to be playing beanbag(man, I hate that expression).
This is not 1976 or 1988; this is more like 1860 or 1980. There is a clear fight ahead that will change the course of America, and of the field we have left, only Gingrich has the vision, knowledge, and experience to beat the Dems at their crooked little games.
On the social issues, Rick are and I are simpatico, but that is not enough to win this election.