Posted on 02/07/2012 10:36:59 PM PST by Steelfish
Santorum Delivers a GOP Stunner Former Senator Wins in Minnesota, Missouri; Romney Campaign Plays Down Nonbinding Contests
By NEIL KING JR. And DANNY YADRON
DENVER—Rick Santorum jolted the Republican presidential race Tuesday by winning nominating contests in Missouri and Minnesota, puncturing Mitt Romney's claim to be the unstoppable front-runner.
Mr. Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator, was running neck and neck with Mr. Romney in preliminary returns from Colorado, a state Mr. Romney won by a wide margin in 2008.
With about 70% of the Colorado vote counted, Mr. Santorum had 38%, to 36% for Mr. Romney. Four years ago, Mr. Romney carried Colorado with 60% of the vote.
Mr. Santorum's twin victories in the Midwest will give his campaign a much-needed burst of momentum and may stir doubt about Mr. Romney's abilities to woo conservatives to his side in important electoral states such as Missouri. So far, Mr. Romney has won in states where he has devoted significant campaign time and advertising dollars.
Mr. Santorum won 55% of the Missouri vote, while Mr. Romney followed with 25%. Texas Rep. Ron Paul was trailing with 12%. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich wasn't on the Missouri ballot.
Mr. Santorum's Missouri victory margin of almost 75,000 votes over Mr. Romney was nearly 29,000 more than Mr. Romney's combined Iowa and Nevada total.
While the Tuesday results didn't directly award any of the delegates needed to claim the GOP nomination, they showed voters rejecting Mr. Romney even in states where he had performed well four years ago.
Mr. Romney had carried Minnesota in 2008 but placed third there on Tuesday. With 85% of precincts in, Mr. Santorum had 45% of the vote, while Mr. Paul had 27%. Mr. Romney had 17% of the vote and Mr. Gingrich claimed 11%.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
That was a wonderful and deeply passionate defense of life. Anyone who says there is no difference between Republicans and Democrats please show me a DemonRat making a speech like that in the House or Senate.
You are right. I said as much in an earlier post. Newt supporters, more than anybody, should know what it likes to get a cool drink after so long in the desert. And we shouldn’t begrudge Santorum’s supporters that...
Having that said, I do plan to bust my butt working so my candidate will whoop yours bad... :)
Actually, never mind the others, I'd be more inclined to say that Obama is a hyena.
If Zero is a hyena, then Newt is a Cape Buffalo. Possibly outside of the Hippo the most dangerous animal in Africa.
VERY passionate argument! I am even more impressed by this conservative man than I was before!
“...Santorum is not a great choice against 0....”
So says you, Mr. 1-29-2012 signup.
Fiddlestick
Romney's flip-flops on abortion and contraception were well documented in 2008. Mike Huckabee denounced them in the debates. Romneycare was signed in 2006
I have to conclude that Santorum is NOT as principled as he pretends to be. Only lack of judgement could have made him to say what he said about Romney back in 2008:
“In a few short days, Republicans from across this country will decide more than their party’s nominee. They will decide the very future of our party and the conservative coalition that Ronald Reagan built. Conservatives can no longer afford to stand on the sidelines in this election, and Gov. Romney is the candidate who will stand up for the conservative principles that we hold dear.”
After reading that, I just cannot support him now.
Newt is the only genuine conservative candidate in the field.
Imagine if Bush had warned pastors across America on 9/16/01 that they could not preach in any way to make it sound as if the USA had brought the previous week’s destruction upon itself, none of the ‘chickens coming home to roost’ business. That would have gone over well.
I'm curious as to your take on his support of Democrat, Dede Scozzafava, and how that makes him 'the only genuine conservative.'
As I see it, both Santorum and Gingrich are conservatives with some flaws. It all depends on which flaws you think are more significant when as a conservative, you make your choice between the two.
Your statement, in and of itself, is quite flawed. Rick is a conservative, and a genuine one as well.
(A lot of conservatives saw Mitt as the least offensive of a very offensive field in 2008. That doesn't make them liberals, any more than voting for reluctantly for McCain over Obama makes one a liberal).
It is unfortunate.
Very nice.
I think he’s the strongest choice that’s in the race.
Who is your candidate?
Mine is Newt, but I’ll take Santorum with a spoonful of sugar.
Who is your candidate?
Mine is Newt, but I’ll take Santorum with a spoonful of sugar.
OK, this is getting old. I asked Rick Santorum about Snarlin Arlin; he said we could not lose Specter’s Senate Judiciary seat and had promises from him about getting conservative judges out of committee and on way to Senate approval, which he considered too important to gamble. Besides, Rick’s a good Reagan Republican, and believes in the Eleventh.
OK, this is getting old. I asked Rick Santorum about Snarlin Arlin; he said we could not lose Specter’s Senate Judiciary seat and had promises from him about getting conservative judges out of committee and on way to Senate approval, which he considered too important to gamble. Besides, Rick’s a good Reagan Republican, and believes in the Eleventh.
I got nothing against Rubio; except he is not Constitutionally qualified.
So the guy on his 3rd wife with 60% unfavorables is MORE electable? Or the swiss bank account guy in an election year when Obama team is just drooling to run against the “1%” types?
By the end of this process we may find that Santorum is the most electable of the choices.
Certainly the latest Ras poll suggests that as a possibility.
First, Welcome Aboard!! Second, loved that video; that’s why I love Rick Santorum.
“Santorum has not stunned me with his charisma, granted, but he’s a solid conservative, and is immune to Obama’s class warfare attack strategy (just mentally compare his vulnerability vs. Romney or even Newt...) Staunchly pro-life and family values will play big in flyover country where guys with a past like Newts are snickered about and guys like Romney are spotted as phonies a mile away.
I sure like what I’ve heard from Santorum lately. For sure he would be a contrast against Obama, not just “Obama-lite”.”
I got the same vibe, a real positive vibe, listening to his Iowa acceptance speech at the beginning of January.
None of the candidates are perfect but Santorum is best positioned to really take on Obama and make it about the issues and about freedom vs big govt and not his personal life (though the liberals will try).
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