Santorum shakes up GOP race with three-for-three finish

[SteveJM]

Santorum shakes up GOP race with three-for-three finish
Published February 08, 2012
| FoxNews.com

The Republican presidential contest is a two-man race no more.
Rick Santorum proved that the 2012 primary election still has a few surprises left, after he went three for three in Tuesday’s contests and once again shook up the GOP nomination battle.
Santorum, in perhaps the biggest upset of the night, was declared the winner of the Colorado caucuses -- a contest Mitt Romney had been leading in recent polls and won in the 2008 race. The former Pennsylvania senator also won the Minnesota caucuses and the non-binding Missouri GOP primary.

The candidates head next into Maine, and later in the month to Arizona and Michigan. Santorum’s performance stokes questions about Romney’s appeal in some corners of the Republican Party but also puts the pressure on Newt Gingrich – as he challenges Santorum’s claim to be the “conservative” alternative to Romney.
Santorum, though, said Tuesday night in Missouri that he wasn’t looking to be the alternative to Romney.
"I stand here to be the conservative alternative to Barack Obama,” Santorum said.
The three-for-three finish marked the best night of Santorum's campaign since Iowa, in which he was belatedly declared the winner.
Santorum said at his victory rally in Missouri that the night's results showed conservatism is "alive and well." Santorum used the victories to build his case that the Republicans need a nominee who can demonstrate "sharp contrasts" with President Obama -- something he claims the other candidates cannot do.
Santorum went after Romney, accusing him of holding the "same positions" as the president on several issues, but largely glossed over the other GOP candidates in his remarks.
Romney is still ahead in the delegate count, despite Santorum's big night. But Santorum's victories disrupt the narrative that the GOP presidential contest had become a two-person race between Gingrich and Romney.
With all precincts reporting in Colorado, Santorum led with 45 percent of the vote. Romney was in second with 35 percent, followed by Gingrich and Paul.
With 95 percent of precincts reporting in Minnesota, Santorum led with 45 percent. Ron Paul was pulling in second with 27 percent, followed by Romney and Gingrich.
A total of 70 delegates are up for grabs in those two states Tuesday, though the caucuses are just the start of a lengthy delegate-allocating process.
In Missouri, the primary is effectively a statewide straw poll, as it sets the stage for the delegate-awarding caucuses a month from now. Still, more than 240,000 people voted in the contest, and Santorum cruised to a crushing victory. With all precincts reporting, Santorum had 55 percent of the vote. Romney had 25 percent, followed by Paul with 12 percent. Gingrich was not on the ballot in that contest.
Turnout in the caucus states was smaller. About 66,000 showed up in Colorado; turnout in Minnesota appeared slightly lower.
Gingrich, though, hardly competed in any of the three states Tuesday, instead focusing his attention on other contests down the primary calendar. He campaigned Tuesday in Ohio, which holds its election on March 6, "Super Tuesday," as the other candidates made last-minute appeals in Colorado and Minnesota.
Romney acknowledged at his rally in Colorado that Santorum had a "good night." He went on to define himself as the only candidate, though, who has never been "compromised" by the culture of Washington. And he said he still expects to be the nominee.
"This is a time for real change in Washington -- fundamental, bold, dramatic change," Romney said.
At his post-election rally in Minnesota, Paul touted his second-place finish in the state while predicting his campaign will do well in the delegate battle -- despite the fact Paul has not yet won a primary contest.
Tuesday's contests were the first of the season in which multiple states were holding contests on one day. Up next, Maine concludes its caucuses this Saturday, and primaries will be held in Michigan and Arizona later in the month.
Romney so far has won three contests, in New Hampshire, Florida and Nevada. Gingrich has won one, in South Carolina.
Romney entered Tuesday's competition with a healthy lead in the delegate count -- at 101 delegates.
Gingrich trailed with 32 delegates, following by Santorum with 17 and Paul with nine. It takes 1,144 delegates to win the nomination.
Though Missouri's primary Tuesday was largely symbolic, the contest was still expected to cost state taxpayers about $6 million.


Read more: Santorum Shakes Up GOP Race With Three-for-three Finish | Fox News

[SteveJM]

Some believe that the case Santorum made in regard to Romneycare has put the hurt on Romney. I expect the Romney campaign to hit hard against Santorum, and Santorum has his own problems when it comes to his own record, and those he has supported and aligned with in the past.

[Sean Osborne]

In this "anybody but Obama" presidential race I am very pleased that Santorum is in the mix. I do prefer him over either Romney or Newt at this juncture, mostly because his campaign has taken the high road to the highest office in the land.

[SteveJM]

In this "anybody but Obama" presidential race I am very pleased that Santorum is in the mix. I do prefer him over either Romney or Newt at this juncture, mostly because his campaign has taken the high road to the highest office in the land.

I will say that I prefer Santorum over Obama(no surprise there). I really don't know if we can turn this sinking ship around and make it safely back to shore. Our national debt and US unfunded liabilities are astronomical. What an absolute spiritual, moral, and financial mess we're in. It's a bed that we've made, just as Greece has made their own and are suffering the consequences. I feel sad for my children and grandchildren. When I was young, America seemed so strong, so right. We still are, in many ways, but we now remind me of my once strong father, when I pushed him in his wheelchair, shortly before the Lord took him home. The world has painted itself into a corner, and only our Creator and Savior can truly save us from ourselves.

[Bobbi]

I am hoping beyond hope that another Rebuplican will enter into this race. Santorum in my opinion looks down on people, demonizes thoses whom he doesn't agree with, kinda like Obama. When I watched him in the debates he didn't impress me at all infact I just kind shook my head when he talked. I really don't think he has what it really takes to be president. That being said Romney and Newt would be terrible also.

[mikhen7]

I will say that I prefer Santorum over Obama(no surprise there). I really don't know if we can turn this sinking ship around and make it safely back to shore. Our national debt and US unfunded liabilities are astronomical. What an absolute spiritual, moral, and financial mess we're in. It's a bed that we've made, just as Greece has made their own and are suffering the consequences. I feel sad for my children and grandchildren. When I was young, America seemed so strong, so right. We still are, in many ways, but we now remind me of my once strong father, when I pushed him in his wheelchair, shortly before the Lord took him home. The world has painted itself into a corner, and only our Creator and Savior can truly save us from ourselves.

SteveJM, what you just mused is so wise and true. We have made our bed, we were once strong and right--even respected, we are now a moral and ethical sinking ship. But you gave the correct answer "only our Creator and Savior can truly save us from ourselves." !! When I was growing up patriotism abounded in the midwest. People attended church and a mans promise was as good as a handshake. It was nice and I looked up to it. Now going back to that same small town, my mother still lives there, but all of the said "nice things" have gone. People do not attend church, you cannot trust your neighbor, and the generation of Godly saints have all gone to be with the Lord. Very few that they influenced are still around--almost all have moved off. I keep in touch with many and they like me, worship regularly and have vibrant relationships to God. What moved in when everyone left is drugs-and poverty. Houses are run-down and drug addicts abound. I love that small town but it is not the picturesque setting it once was. I see the same thing in a macro way for the USA.

Simply put: Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people. Proverbs 14:34

The ravages of sin are painfully eroding our nation and world. The hard and hot winds of sin are leaving the landscapes barren and burned.

Santorum has a rough-row-to-hoe if he is going to rise up. His best chance is to stand for the rights of Religious hospitals and institutions and keep focused on that issue.

God Bless

[dcbrott99]

I'm glad Santorum is back in the hunt. He is the only one of the Republican candidates that I feel I could actually vote for. That said, I'm hoping that Jesus will come back for his Bride before the election.

[mikhen7]

I'm glad Santorum is back in the hunt. He is the only one of the Republican candidates that I feel I could actually vote for. That said, I'm hoping that Jesus will come back for his Bride before the election.

But lets try to take as many unbelievers as we can with us, by spreading the Greatest News on earth!

[dcbrott99]

But lets try to take as many unbelievers as we can with us, by spreading the Greatest News on earth!

Amen to that Brother!

[Cricket55]

I like Santorum and would like to see him sit in the Oval Office.

[YeuEmMaiMai]

Finally, a candidate that gets it,

Talk about what you can do that will get us out of the mess that our current President has gotten us into...