Pennsylvania is our 6th most populous state with a couple of huge DEMOCRATIC historic metropolitan areas.
Anyone who thinks Santorum accidentally won those twice in state-wide senatorial campaigns is dreaming. AND, he was still a totally pro-life Catholic. (I believe Catholic voters, even if they don’t follow the birth control teachings of their church, have a soft spot in their hearts for those who do, and they give them a pass. They understand)
Santorum won in a state with pushing 13 million voters, major LameStream Media outlets, huge union forces, and a long tradition as a democrat stronghold.
He didn’t succeed because he couldn’t control himself or his campaign. I’d say it was just the opposite.
And then he managed to maintain a conservative voting record and get re-elected.
Can you imagine a conservative senator with an 80% conservative record even making it through the primary in California or New York?!! Well, this guy pulled it off.
Santorum is no dummy. There’s something clicking with him upstairs.
His supporters are. Who needs the commies to bring us down, Americans are doing it.
To be more specific, I'd add that the Philadelphia metro area is less Republican than it used to be, but the Pittsburgh metro area, where Santorum is most associated with, is no longer the Democratic political Hell-hole that it used to be. Obama fared worse there than in any other northern metro area except for Cincinnati and possibly Indianapolis if you don't count Lawrence County as part of the Pittsburgh metro area.
I'd like to point out Pittsburgh's shift to the right because the rust belt is key in this election, and you don't get much more "rust belt" than Pittsburgh. The rust belt is eminently winnable with Santorum, since he fits in there unlike a Gordan Gekko Mitt Romney type.
States like Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania are relatively more conservative in social (AUL ranked Michigan as the most pro-life state and Pennsylvania third most), national security, and gun issues and weaker on fiscal issues. Again, just like Santorum.
Mitt Romney may appeal more to East Coast moderate Republicans. Who cares, though? Those states will still go D.
Gingrich may appeal the most to Southern Republicans. Who cares, though? Those states will be Republican no matter who we nominate.
Santorum appeals to Midwest and Rust Belt voters, and those are the ones that matter most since they are in the swing states which will decide the election.