He was a surprisingly strong unapologetic conservative candidate who could have been (or still could be) groomed for a national run
Santorum was torpedoed by the Romney money machine that managed to buy, with several hundred millions dollars, Mitt a usually whoppng 35% of the vote - from GOP voters. The Gingrich gadfly never even approached Santorum in popularity
Santorums baggage?
Lost GOP senate race in PA (never to be forgiven by some FR)
Supported Specter for Senate and Specter USSC vote (ditto above)
Enrolled his kids in state-paid PA charter school even though he lived in VA (liberal lefties decided a PA senator is not a PA resident while ignoring an entire entrenched stable of Democrat carpetbaggers in DC)
Didn't go back to PA when he lost Senate, stayed in VA and got job working for K street “lobby” firm- lobbying for CONSERVATIVE CAUSES (oh, the shame, a carpetbagger, a lawyer, an ex Senator, decides to get a job, stay in DC and not uproot his family from their $600,000 “mansion” (sarc if you familiar with NoVa real estate)
Has stay at home wife, homeschooled kids and a mentally challenged mortally ill daughter and not ashamed to embrace them and his family values in public (For the reaction this incurs in libs, and the MEDia propaganda attacks, see Palin Derangement Syndrome)
Th establishment democrats AND GOP have and will do their best to ridicule and tear down Santorum because they fear him - I for one am not joining them
RE: Lost GOP senate race in PA (never to be forgiven by some FR)
I guess the “sin” of losing an election or primary means we would never vote for an Allen West or even a Ronald Reagan and Abe Lincoln.