Santorum Endorses Clovis, Blasts Ernst’s Record of Raising Taxes

The last time Rick Santorum was in Iowa, political reporters suspected that an endorsement in the Republican U.S. Senate contests was eminent. Santorum endorsed his longtime friend Secretary of State Matt Schultz, who is running for congress in Iowa’s third Congressional District on his trip to Iowa in back in March, but he refused to endorse U.S. Senate candidate Sam Clovis at the time. Clovis was an early and influential supporter of Santorum in the 2012 presidential race.

This morning Santorum got of the sidelines and officially backed Clovis in Iowa’s U.S. Senate race, but in doing so called out “so-called conservative groups” in Washington, D.C. that are attempting to mislead Iowa conservatives by trying to anoint candidate. Santorum, who is eluding to State Senator Joni Ernst, goes on to say, “Simply put, a voting record that supports tax increases and not showing up for the job the people entrusted you to do are not conservative principles.”

Santorum’s endorsement is now the third endorsement Clovis has received this week by prominent social conservatives. Clovis was officially endorsed by talk radio host Steve Deace on Monday. On Tuesday, it was the FAMiLY Leader’s Bob Vander Plaats, and today it’s Santorum. Santorum’s decision to take a shot at Ernst in his endorsement is interesting considering that Clovis has not shown much aggression in the Republican primary.

Santorum’s 2012 national campaign manager, Michael Biundo, is consulting Clovis’ campaign. Chuck Laudner, a Santorum confidant, Iowa grassroots organizer, and conservative activists is serving as Clovis’ campaign manager.

Ernst has been under fire for missing votes in the Iowa Senate and has more recently begun to take some heat for voting to increase the gas tax and tax sales on the internet.

"Santorum Endorses True Conservative Clovis For U.S. Senate In Iowa Blasts DC groups for meddling to confuse Iowa conservatives

VERONA, PA – Winner of the 2012 Iowa Republican Presidential Caucus, former U.S. Senator, and Chairman of Patriot Voices Rick Santorum announced that Patriot Voices PAC has endorsed Sam Clovis for U.S. Senate in Iowa.

Rick Santorum said, “I am proud to endorse my friend Sam Clovis for the United States Senate. I had the pleasure of getting to know Sam during my run for president and was blessed by his support along the campaign trail. I know what is in his heart and Sam is a true, full-spectrum conservative who believes in the greatness of American exceptionalism and the founding principles in our Declaration of Independence and Constitution.”

“I have watched this race develop and was not going to get involved, but I feel compelled to more publicly voice my support for Sam because so-called conservative groups in Washington, D.C. have tried to anoint a candidate. Unfortunately, these same groups either don’t know the real record, or they are trying to mislead Iowa conservatives about who is the best conservative in this race. Simply put, a voting record that supports tax increases and not showing up for the job the people entrusted you to do are not conservative principles.”

“I am fond of Iowa and have gotten to know many Iowans through the years. The one thing that all Iowans appreciate and expect from their politicians is the truth. And the truth is that Sam Clovis is a man of principle who will advance the cause of conservatism and be an outstanding U.S. Senator.”

Senator Santorum visited all of Iowa’s 99 counties and held 381 public events across the Hawkeye State on his way to winning the 2012 Iowa Caucus. It was his victory in the Iowa Caucus that propelled Senator Santorum on to 10 more primary and caucus victories as the conservative choice for President. Sam Clovis endorsed Senator Santorum’s campaign for President in the Fall of 2011."

— Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum called Friday for immediate cuts to Social Security benefits, risking the wrath of older voters and countless others.http://news.yahoo.com/santorum-trim-social-security-now-even-painful-210617928.html;_ylt=AwrSbmrhCHZTMw4Aj4pXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEzMzd2bjlxBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDNARjb2xvA2dxMQR2dGlkA1NNRTM0Nl8x

Santorum’s wife dated abortion doctor in the 1980s: report
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/santorum-wife-dated-abortion-doctor-1980s-report-article-1.1007228

Santorum in 2004 backed abortion-rights supporter Arlen Specter for Senate over conservative challenger Pat Toomey

He voted to fund Planned Parenthood as part of an appropriations bill that provided money for Title X family planning. He voted three years in a row against bills to end the National Endowment for the Arts, famous for funding artwork like a cross in urine.

The fiscal watchdog organization Club for Growth describes his performance in Congress as merely “above average.” Santorum voted for union-backed legislation that restricts steel imports. He opposed repeated attempts to reimpose the “pay-go” rules that would hold down spending increases and tax giveaways. He voted against the National Right to Work Act and voted for Fed Ex unionization. He supported a bill by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) increasing the minimum wage. He voted for practically every “emergency supplemental” spending bill sought by the Bush administration, which added tens of billions to the deficit. He voted to increase the debt ceiling and voted against a flat tax. He voted against reforming welfare programs numerous times.

He requested billions of dollars of earmarks for his home state of Pennsylvania, and defends this practice by claiming that “there are good earmarks and bad earmarks.” He was one of only 25 Senators who voted for the Bridge to Nowhere, part of the $284 billion 2005 highway bill known for its bloated earmarks.

He voted for the expensive Medicare Part D prescription-drug program, the largest entitlement program since Lyndon Johnson, which is expected to cost $68 billion this year. He said after the fact that his vote was a mistake since the program did not have funding. During last week’s presidential debate in Arizona he admitted that voting for the No Child Left Behind Act, which expanded the federal government’s role in education, was a mistake and he “took one for the team.”

http://www.rightwingnews.com/conservatives/is-rick-santorum-really-the-most-conservative-presidential-candidate/

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