I support Rick Santorum because, while Newt Gingrich is smart, tough and a great debater, he is also a Washington insider through and through with a mercurial temperament that can be dangerous in a president. I simply don't trust him. I also believe that Newt's sometimes cranky, even surly demeanor when his ego has been bruised is dangerous. As the GOP presidential candidate, one unthinking outburst from Gingrich - which is quite possible - could de-rail his campaign and allow Obama to defeat him. I don't care to take that risk.
Santorum may not be as forceful as Gingrich or debate quite as well but he does not give the impression of a crabby old guy who knows he's smarter than everyone else. Santorum is bright and affable and, more important, a solid conservative (not a 'perfect' one) and has strong 'family values', which some on FR dismiss as hardly relevant when the economy is the main concern of most voters - but those social mores play well with most non-liberals. Most of all, Santorum can defeat Obama.
They worked together before and Rick would know how to work congress to get the clean up job done. Rick's a good man. Too nice to deal with the devil=BhO. OTOH Newt has experience dealing with evil. He'll fight fire with fire.
Whatever the consensus might be, I am personally convinced that January 21, the day of the S Carolina primary, is the most important date of this 2012 election.
That day the conservatives will have come to a consensus, or they will again allow themselves to be divided by the intentional strategy of the GOP establishment.
That will usher in the next GOP BobDole/JohnMcCain candidate who WILL lose...Mitt Romney.
CONSERVATIVES: Ad-MITT Romney Is Unelectable!