The same thing happened with the 1980 election. The left was praying for Reagan, and did everything to make it happen.
Actually the same thing happened in reverse in the 1976 election. The right was laughing at the idea of the Democrats nominating a hick peanut farmer from rural Georgia who not only openly talked about his religion, but claimed to be a born again Christian and felt bad about "lusting in his heart after other women." The pre-election portrayal of Jimmy Carter is very, very different from the left-wing liberal one you know today. Carter was considered a baptist religious extremest--at least that is how he was portrayed by the press.
Santorum's campaign looks a lot like Jimmy Carters. Spent a year going door to door in Iowa and came out of nowhere. Relying heavily on religious conservatives, and is unafraid to talk about religion on the stump (you might even say both went out of their way to do it).
It was an effective strategy for Carter, there is no reason it won't also be effective for Santorum. People point out that the majority of the country isn't overly religious, which is true. But, what the forget that the vast majority of the country are not atheist either. Being a religious person is not a negative with most of the country--in fact, I would argue it's a positive.
It is a fine line though. Carter managed to walk it in 1976. There's no reason to think Santorum can't walk it in 2012.
It’s real pathetic when the libtards can see what some conservatives can’t!! Will they ever wake up?!