Posted on 12/10/2014 1:28:47 AM PST by iowamark
Rick Santorum won primaries and caucuses in 11 states in 2012, coming in a respectable second in the GOP presidential primary season. And Republicans have a history of bestowing their nomination on the next guy in line, usually an also-ran from the last contest.
Yet the former senator from Pennsylvania is rarely mentioned in the already feverish pre-game 2016 chatter among the political commentariat and the donor class.
That’s just the way he likes it. Or so he says.
“America loves an underdog. We’re definitely the underdog in this race,” he said in an interview Tuesday. Santorum added that being underestimated — again — “has given me a lot of latitude.”
His iconic sweater vests will likely make a return appearance. But Santorum 2.0 will be a very different presidential campaign than the one that came from almost nowhere to win the Iowa caucuses in an overtime decision, he vows.
“I get the game,” Santorum said.
Where he had to build his operation from the ground up in 2012, Santorum now has a grass-roots operation called Patriot Voices, which boasts 150,000 activists across the country. Its current push, an online petition drive to oppose President Obama’s recent executive action on immigration, has generated what Santorum strategist John Brabender says are “30,000 new e-mail relationships.”
Whether Santorum can raise the money he needs is another question. Foster Friess, the benefactor who ponied up $2.1 million to a pro-Santorum super PAC in 2012, says he would support him again. The former senator is sounding out other deep-pocketed donors, whom he declined to identify.
He is retooling his message, hoping to appeal beyond his socially conservative base and reach blue-collar voters who are being left behind in the economy...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
>>A divide and conquer move. Someone is pulling his strings. he KNOWS he cannot win. But he can split the vote for Jeb. It’s 2012 all over again.<<
I was hoping for satire...
I don’t think Santorum was a good candidate and I hope he doesn’t run again but he was 100% the last decent man standing in 2012 and I was proud to vote for him.
I see the Newtbot ‘tards continue to drove on with their fictionalized version of history.
Fact: That unelectable RINO loser Newt is the one who should have exited the race after he destroyed himself by attacking Romney from the LEFT.
“The knuckle-dragging Neanderthal, ...is a joke, and will do worse than he did in 2012.”
Another of your newbie dumps on conservative potential candidates. It appears no conservative is acceptable - perhaps Hillary is your choice.
Well if you’re going to pick a conservative, then lets not pick one who lost his last election, in his home state, as an incumbent, by 18 points.
That person is suspect to be a troll and perhaps a retread.
I believe Cruz would be the strong president we need. I don’t have to call other possible candidates nasty names in order to prefer Cruz.
bump
Will be Ted Cruz?
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