[SamuraiScot]

But why did Santorum lose so badly?

There are a few more factors Byron probably didn't have time for, starting with possible Philly vote fraud.

Santorum even ran disappointingly on values issues, his usual strength, splitting the vote 50-50 among those who said values were extremely important.

. . . And the fact that no one knew anything about pro-life socialist Gov. Bob Casey's son—who, it turned out after the election, is not only a dim-bulb socialist like his dad, but is willing to vote pro-abortion.

[Vigilanteman]

Spot on. Casey Jr. was billed as the second coming of Casey Sr. He turned out instead to be the second coming of another Scranton native-- Joe Biden. With the exception that he is smart enough to mostly hide and keep his mouth shut.

Casey Sr.'s tragic death was still fresh on the minds of many voters in 2006. Sort of like Robert F. Kennedy getting elected U.S. Senator from New York in 1964, another horrible year for the GOP.