AP – Social issues dominated the 2012 presidential race Friday, as President Barack Obama tried to calm a storm over religion and birth control and the Republicans vying to replace him jockeyed to outdo each other in proving their conservative fervor.
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Social issues rule busy day in presidential race
(AP)
At New York Times : PLANO, Tex. — A crowd of well-wishers and autograph-seekers surrounded Rick Santorum at an event hall here this week. The place was packed; dozens of men, women and children stranded outside stood in the cold just to catch a glimpse of him. People approached him with tears in their eyes. They gave him cowboy hats, personal notes, quilts sewn for his seriously ill 3-year-old daughter and envelopes with checks inside. His campaign had raised $1 million online in 24 hours. Earlier, at a nearby hotel, he had to apologize to those hoping to have their pictures taken with him, explaining that he had a television show to get ready for. But as Mr. Santorum made his way through the crowd, he was asked if anything felt new. “No, no,” he said. “The same old, the same old.” Of course, that was hard to believe: This was the Santorum campaign, post-trifecta. On Tuesday night, Mr. Santorum stunned the political world by winning the Minnesota and Colorado caucuses and a nonbinding primary in Missouri, reviving his flagging candidacy. On Wednesday and Thursday, at a series of campaign stops in the suburbs north of Dallas and in Oklahoma, Mr. Santorum took advantage of a burst of momentum and campaign donations that have followed his three victories. Though overtaking Mitt Romney, the Republican front-runner, is still a formidable challenge, Mr. Santorum, a former senator from Pennsylvania, has become as much of a political rock star as he has ever been in his life. Continue reading . PREVIOUSLY : ” Donors Turn to Santorum ‘Super PAC’ After Upset Victories .”
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Santorum Adjusting to Star Treatment on Trail
At Los Angeles Times : Reporting from Washington — A day after former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum scored a trio of upset victories, a “super PAC” working on behalf of the GOP presidential hopeful said it was flooded with calls from donors who wanted to back its efforts. “We’ve been working at a speed faster than any other day the super PAC has seen in this election season,” Stuart Roy, a political advisor to the Red White and Blue Fund, wrote in an email to the Los Angeles Times/Tribune Washington Bureau. “We haven’t made a single fundraising call today because potential donors have been the ones calling us.” He declined to say how much money the super PAC — which raised $729,000 last year — had received in new commitments. The organization has spent nearly $2.2 million on Santorum’s behalf so far. Its major benefactor has been Foster Friess, a wealthy former mutal fund investor based in Wyoming who joined Santorum on stage at his victory party in Missouri on Tuesday night. And see Hot Air, ” Bellwether: Santorum blows past Gingrich in Pennsylvania, now leads Romney by one .”
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Donors Turn to Santorum ‘Super PAC’ After Upset Victories
Well, Missouri’s a beauty contest with no delegates, but Santorum scores some needed momentum and no doubt throws a monkey wrench in Romney’s post-Florida victory parade. See Bloomberg, ” Santorum Gets Two Wins in Republican Race “: Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania won contests in Missouri and Minnesota today, shaking up the Republican presidential race just days after Mitt Romney had won two races in a row to claim front-runner status. The Associated Press called Missouri for Santorum, as he had 55 percent of the vote, with 81 percent of precincts reporting. Romney had 25 percent and U.S. Representative Ron Paul of Texas had 12 percent. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich wasn’t on the Missouri ballot. The AP also projected a victory for Santorum in Minnesota’s caucuses, where he led with 46 percent of the vote with 38 percent of precincts reporting. Paul had 26 percent, followed by Romney with 16 percent and Gingrich with 11 percent. The results suggest a lingering weakness for Romney, especially among the Republican Party’s most conservative voters who are focused on such social issues as their opposition to abortion and gay marriage. At the same time, Santorum’s new strength may aid Romney in a prolonged fight for the nomination. A revitalized Santorum campaign may mean that he and Gingrich will continue to split the anti-Romney vote, leaving neither with a commanding count of delegates. “After tonight, you’ll see this is a wide open race,” Gingrich said on CNN before the results began to be released.
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Santorum Wins Missouri and Minnesota
Photo source: RickSantorum.com Scroll for updates…early results in Minnesota and Missouri looking good for Rick Santorum…SWEEEEEEEEEP! You can get live, updated Colorado GOP caucus results here . Minnesota caucus results will be here . And Missouri primary results here . *** Update: Networks projecting Santorum the winner in Missouri. And he’s leading early in Minnesota . What did I tell ya? Santorum’s got game. Now, he needs your help to unite the Right. *** Note: If Santorum sweeps these critical battleground states tonight, he will have won more states than “frontrunner” Mitt Romney (he has snagged three states). Nothing is inevitable in politics. Also noteworthy: Santorum is doing this with just a fraction of Mitt Romney’s money. Money can take you far, but just like Mitt Romney learned in 2008 and is learning again, it can’t seal the deal. *** Commenter TigerLady: I’ve had so many people tell me today my vote in Missouri “doesn’t count”. I voted Santorum. If it “doesn’t count” at least I exercised my right to do it. Fun fact from Erik Telford : Romney won the 2008 MN Caucus w/ 41%. Tonight, he garnered 16%, placing 3rd behind RON PAUL. That Pawlenty endorsement really helped… T-Guffaw. *** Update 10:54pm Eastern: Santorum at Missouri victory speech: “Conservatism is alive and well in Missouri and Minnesota …1600 Pennsylvania better be listening.” Staying focused: Santorum blasting radical Obama policies — cap and trade, Obamacare, bailouts — in Missouri victory speech. Romney shares many of the same positions as Obama. “I’m not the conservative alternative to Mitt Romney. I’m the conservative alternative to Barack Obama.” “Supply-side economics for the working man is resonating.” “I care about 100 percent of Americans.” “Freedom is at stake in this election.” Update 11:35pm Eastern …Santorum maintaining lead as precinct returns get tallied up here in Colorado. Significant: Romney lost Adams County to Santorum. He won 67% there in 2008. Barely scraped together 31 percent this year. This is the Denver suburbs. Update 12:30am It’s a squeaker. With 51 percent reporting and liberal Denver and suburban Denver votes coming in, Romney has eked ahead for the first time tonight 37-35 over Santorum. El Paso County, where I live, is still counting votes. Santorum has a big lead here and these votes will offset some of the Denver edge Romney has. Update 1:04am Eastern – GOP Party Chairman of Colorado Ryan Call announces on CNN that with 98 percent of precincts reporting, Rick Santorum has won Colorado, completing his 2/7 trifecta. He “exceeded expectations,” says Call. His margin of victory in my home county of El Paso was 1300 votes. Video: Update 1:38am – With 100 percent precincts reporting, final margin of victory: Denver Post coverage of Colorado caucus results: Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum upended the race for the Republican nomination Tuesday, winning three states including Colorado. Colorado’s race see-sawed throughout the night until 11 p.m., when Colorado GOP Chair Ryan Call declared Santorum the winner. But the race was a near tie. “This is a major upset,” said Denver-based political analyst Floyd Ciruli. “Definitely, there is a new story now.” Even Romney, who easily won the Republican contest in 2008 with 60 percent of the vote, acknowledged in his speech from the Auraria campus his new challenger. “This was a good night for Rick Santorum, but I still expect to become the nominee,” he said. “I look forward to the contest to come.” *** I repeat: The “frontrunner” with a $30 million war chest now has won fewer states than Rick Santorum. I repeat: Money can take you far, but just like Mitt Romney learned in 2008 and is learning again, it can’t seal the deal. *** Mitt Romney: Tonight, you were Rick-rolled. *** Santorum won Minnesota, Missouri, and Colorado the same way he won Iowa: Hard work. Congratulations, Sen. Santorum, on your 2/7 trifecta! Now, get ready for the attacks, the press smears, more glitter, and likely CPAC ambushes. Forewarned is forearmed.
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Romney gets Rick-rolled: Santorum sweeps Missouri, Minnesota, and Colorado in 2/7 trifecta
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Santorum gaining ground before Tuesday’s primaries shows progression of both candidate and campaign
Photo source: RickSantorum.com Some GOP 2012 news you might have missed over Super Bowl weekend, via the Rick Santorum campaign: Polls have provided empirical data to this trend in the key battleground states of Minnesota and Colorado, where Rick Santorum has emerged as the clear conservative alternative to moderate Mitt Romney. Public Policy Polling Minnesota: Santorum: 29% Romney: 27% Gingrich: 22% Colorado: Romney: 40% Santorum: 26% Gingrich: 18% Nationally, Rick Santorum is the only Republican contender to beat President Barack Obama head-to-head. Rasmussen Reports Poll General Election Match-Ups: Santorum: 45% Obama: 44% Romney: 43% Obama: 47% Gingrich: 41% Obama: 49% And just as important as the General Election horserace is, Rick Santorum is proving to be the most popular and likeable Republican candidate for President – a key ingredient to winning not just elections, but the hearts and minds of voters. ( Public Policy Polling ) The conventional wisdom tells us Mitt and Newt are the only choices in this race. But these most recent polls clearly suggest that Santorum, not Newt, is the strongest conservative alternative. I’ve carefully and candidly laid out the strengths, weaknesses, and best arguments for Santorum. I’m working in my home state of Colorado to spread the message. Ed Morrissey makes his case for Santorum to his fellow Minnesotans and the Right at Hot Air . David Limbaugh did last week. More support from the Right spotlighted here by Stacy McCain. Is it a long shot? Yes. Is it doable? Yes. There are no inevitabilities in politics. Santorum’s got game. Strong showings in Missouri, Minnesota, and Colorado could bring the fundraising boost he needs. You can help right now right here . *** A reminder of the Romn-Obama twins: *** The Fishwrap of Record is catching on: Mr. Santorum is, in many ways, a more dangerous opponent for Mr. Romney than Mr. Gingrich at this point. He has run a more disciplined campaign than the former House speaker, has less personal baggage and is less disliked by party leaders. Mr. Santorum can also make a credible claim to challenging Mr. Romney on electability. Mr. Santorum’s current unfavorable rating among all voters is 11 points lower than Mr. Romney’s, 36 percent versus 47 percent. Their favorable ratings are roughly equal: 30 percent for Mr. Santorum to 29 percent for Mr. Romney. Mr. Santorum’s conservative positions on social issues might not make him an ideal fit with certain types of independent voters. States that are moderate to -liberal on social policy, like Virginia, New Hampshire, Nevada and Colorado, could be tougher for Republicans to win if Mr. Santorum is their nominee. But those concerns might be outweighed if Mr. Santorum shows strength in the Midwest — and Mr. Romney shows weakness. …With Mr. Santorum, however, you can at least draw up a coherent path to victory, one that runs through the Midwest. There is a Midwestern state left to vote at virtually every turn of the nomination calendar. After Michigan on Feb. 28 and Ohio on Super Tuesday comes Missouri (again) on March 17, when it holds its caucuses, then Illinois on March 20, Wisconsin on April 3 and Pennsylvania on April 24. (A big disadvantage for Mr. Santorum: He did not qualify for the ballot in Indiana, which votes on May 8.) Mr. Santorum would eventually need to expand his coalition beyond the region — such as to the socially conservative states of the South. But victories for him in Minnesota or Missouri — especially if he wins both — would at once raise new concerns about Mr. Romney’s appeal to working-class voters and make Mr. Gingrich’s victory in South Carolina appear to be a one-off event that is quickly receding in the rear-view mirror.
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Santorum’s got game
AP – Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum on Friday backed prominent conservative James Dobson’s claim that President Barack Obama’s administration would block medical treatment for stroke patients over age 70. Professional medical groups have called such statements bogus.
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Santorum pushes discredited stroke claim
(AP)
