Santorum would have had no chance without Gingrich, because he would have been on Willard’s hit-list, but Willard considered him too unimportant to bother with. Santorum only got where he did because of the destruction wreaked by Romney (with Santorum’s help, I will add) on Perry and Gingrich.
As for Gingrich voters, I honestly don’t think most of them would go to Santorum. The man has no ideas, an unlikeable persona, and is just as big-government, nanny-state as Romney. So I don’t know where they’d go.
Total agreement.
I won’t vote for either Romney or Santorum. One of the few benefits of living in the N.J.S.S.R.
Newt is the last in line for me.. I had said I would stop at Cain... but I stretched a bit further to the center for Newt.. no more. If Newt doesn’t get it, then I am writing in Palin for the Primary AND General.
No More Big Govt. ... No More Union supporting pols..
You make some very valid points....
You haven't been paying attention. Romney solely focused on Santorum in both Michigan and Ohio, outspending him 12-1 in Ohio, and still barely won both states.
When Romney attacked Gingrich in Florida, Newt was destroyed. Worse, he couldn't control his rage at Romney's attacks and fell apart in a debate in Florida.
Yeah, right. Santorum pushed for welfare reform and opposed then individual insurance mandate even while other conservatives were pushing it back in the 1990s.He has 88% career rating from the ACU, which is only two percent less than Newt.
It's this sort of stupid that is helping Romney win the nomination.
RE: The man has no ideas, an unlikeable persona
1) Unlikeable person — WOMEN actually vote for him more than men.
As for unlikeable, if so, why is he AHEAD of Newt? Doesn’t that make Newt even more unlikeable
2) As for having no ideas, did you actually READ his policy proposals?
See here:
http://www.ricksantorum.com/truth
Rick Santorum’s First 100 Days Economic Freedom Agenda
1) UNLEASH AMERICA’S ENERGY: I’ll approve the Keystone Pipeline for jobs and energy security. I’ll sign an order unleashing America’s domestic energy production without picking winners and losers on Day One. I’ll allow states to choose where they want to explore for oil and natural gas and to set their own regulations for hydrofracturing.
2) STOP JOB KILLING REGULATIONS: I’ll eliminate all regulations promulgated by the Obama Administration which have an economic burden over $100 million dollars, on Day One, including repeal of the EPA rule on CO2 emissions that have already shut down six power plants and furlowed 500 workers. I will order a review of all regulations, making sure these regulations use sound science and common-sense cost benefit analysis.
3) REIN IN SPENDING TO SECURE OUR FUTURE: I’ll propose spending cuts of $5 trillion over 5 years, including spending cuts for the remainder of fiscal year 2013. I will propose budgets that spend less money each year than the year before, and I’ll reduce the non-defense related federal workforce at least 10 percent, without replacing with contractors.
4) REPEAL AND REPLACE OBAMACARE: I’ll submit legislation to Congress to repeal ObamaCare and issue an executive order ending related regulatory obligations on the states on Day One. I’ll work with Congress to replace ObamaCare with competitive choices of healthcare plans to improve the quality and limit the cost of healthcare, while protecting those with uninsurable health conditions.
5) BALANCE THE BUDGET: I’ll submit to Congress a budget that will balance within 4 years and I’ll call on Congress to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution which limits federal spending to 18 percent of GDP.
6) PRO-GROWTH AND PRO-FAMILY INDIVIDUAL TAX POLICY: I’ll submit to Congress my comprehensive pro-growth and pro-family tax policies to strengthen opportunity in our country, with lower rates of 10 percent and 28 percent. To help families, I’ll triple the personal deduction for children and eliminate the marriage tax penalty throughout the tax code.
7) RESTORE AMERICA’S COMPETITIVENESS: I’ll cut the corporate tax in half to a flat-tax rate of 17.5 percent to make America competitive internationally, and I’ll allow corporations to expense all business equipment and investment. I’ll eliminate taxes on IRS Code Section 199 manufacturing activity to attract manufacturing back to America. I’ll take the lead on tort reform to lower the cost of doing business in America and to reduce the cost of products and services to consumers. Repeal Dodd-Frank, which is making it harder for businesses to get access to credit and for Americans to buy houses and refinance.
8) NEGOTIATE AND SUBMIT FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS: Because a substantial portion of Americans work for companies which export, I’ll initiate negotiations in the first 100 days and submit to Congress at least five free trade agreements to increase our exports during my first year in office.
9) REFORM ENTITLEMENTS: I will cut means-tested entitlement programs by 10 percent across the board, freeze them for four years, and block grant them to the states as I did as the author of welfare reform. I will reform Medicare and Social Security so they are fiscally sustainable for seniors and young people.
10) REVIVE HOUSING: I’ll submit a plan to Congress to phase out within several years Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s federal housing role, reform and make transparent the Federal Reserve, and allow families whose homes are “underwater” to deduct losses from the sale of their home in order to better get a fresh start in difficult economic times.
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You may not like his ideas, but please, don’t tell us he has none.
“As for Gingrich voters, I honestly don’t think most of them would go to Santorum. The man has no ideas, an unlikeable persona, and is just as big-government, nanny-state as Romney. So I don’t know where they’d go.”
Reluctantly I would go to Santorum. You accurately list Santorum’s deficiencies, but he is an acceptable compromise at this desperate time, whereas Romney is an utter capitulation and a crime against one’s conscience.
There has always been a huge warning sign in what I see in Santorum. To me, he is like a combination of Elmer Gantry and Jimmy Carter snd no matter how hard I try, I cannot shake that image of him.
Even his campaign reminds me of a P.T. Barnum operation, with Ring Master Rick and his troupe of Flying Santorums, all traveling at the expense of his campaign supporters, and performing for the rubes across the countryside.
I have no doubt that when the chips are down, Rick will sell out his supporters and form a ticket with Romney. It means nothing to him that most of his supporters are vehemently against a Romney Presidency, because it has never been about them, it has Always been about Rick.
Like the shifty eyed snake oil seller he is, he will give his family values speech, tell them they must take one for the team, and like good little lemmings they will fall for it and run to the polls for Rick, convinced that his alliance with Mitt must, after all, be a Holy one.
Like P.T, Barnum said, “There’s a sucker born every minute”. Rick is counting on it.