I can support Santorum. I think Newt is smarter and more creative, but I think I could support Rick.
Reading up on him, though, I am very concerned about his repeated history of supporting union bosses. Newt has always been a strong anti-union guy, one of the many reasons I support him. I think unions have a terrible impact on our economy and society and the willingness to stand up to them is pretty high on my list of important attributes.
Having said all that, I think Newt and Santorum supporters should focus on Romney and stop trashing the only two conservatives in the race. Eye on the prize.
Hank
Say goodbye to...wait for it...
The Myth of Inevitability.
we all would over mitt I'm sure but divided they will fall and I don't see brokered convention working for us...maybe I am wrong...
I don’t have any problem with Santorum. Just think Newt is more experienced and a stronger leader. I like what Newt did in the 80’s and 90’s and I like his current plans for gutting the out of control federal government. Gutting is what we need.
Here's my read of the situation, based on conversations with reporters in both Pennsylvania and Georgia as well as politically active pastors and elders in both states who I have known from church connections for many years.
Both Gingrich and Santorum have a long history of appealing to “populist” insurgent groups which were mad at the political establishments in their states. In Pennsylvania, that meant dissatisfied Democrats willing to vote Republican who were often ethnic blue-collar “Reagan Democrats,” and in Pennsylvania that often meant union workers. In Georgia, that meant dissatisfied rural whites as well as upwardly mobile suburban white voters.
Put another way: Santorum is from a northern old-economy industrial state. Gingrich, despite being a northerner, moved to the South just as the Republican Party was beginning to gain ground. Economic progress in Pennsylvania depended for a very long time on keeping the unions happy and preventing them from calling destructive strikes. Economic progress in Georgia depended on attracting companies that were looking to move to lower-cost Southern states without a history of strong unions.
If Gingrich had stayed in the North or if Santorum had moved South, I'm not sure either of them, if they wanted to effectively represent their own local constituents, would have had voting histories radically different from the other candidate.
Of course, both men are now running for president where they need to represent the entire nation, not just a single state or congressional district. It's a valid question whether Santorum can think nationally; Gingrich has probably already shown he can do so.
My read is both men understand the importance of doing what's best for the nation, not merely their own local state, but it's not fair to blame either man for faithfully representing the people who put them into office.
Another factor: I am not a huge fan of unions, but in an environment where “Cap and Trade” and carbon taxes are threatening to destroy the coal industry, I am not necessarily unhappy with a candidate like Santorum who has a very long history of supporting coal miners.