2009-10-02
Rick Santorum For President in 2012?
Remember this guy? He's Rick Santorum, the former Republican United States Senator from Pennsylvania who didn't switch parties and lost his job because of it. Since losing his re-election bid in 2006, Santorum has been working his fanny off with PAC work and going above and beyond for the candidates and causes he supports. In the US Senate, Santorum was probably the closest thing anyone could find to a "3 legged stool" Republican. That is to say, he represented the Christian Right (he led the fight for Terri Schiavo, intelligent design, school prayer, and heterosexual marriage), Libertarian Right (responsible spending, opposing government growth, lowering taxes), and the National Security Right (a supporter of the Iraq War to this day, an enormous supporter of our Armed Forces and veterans).
Well, he's in Iowa driving around in an SUV along with a few aids for "company." Officially, the former Senator was in Iowa for a speaking engagement/sit down with the American Future Fund at the University of Dubuque. Unofficially, he's fueling the wildfire of expectations that he may run for the highest office in the land.
I'm curious to know what you think of a Santorum candidacy. He's certainly got all the connections a person needs to run a serious Presidential campaign, he's got access to a boat load of money, he's got a successful PAC, and he's actually a likable guy who could possibly appeal to the New England conservatives, which have been foaming at the mouth for decades that the GOP has been taken over by the south.
My concern is that he may be a bit too far to the right on some issues to be considered socially mainstream on many hot button, controversial issues. Santorum also lost the 2006 election by a large margin, 59-41% (that's an 18 point spread, which qualifies as a landslide victory for Senator Bob Casey, Jr.). The reason I bring up that enormous loss is because every four years, the Republican candidate says Pennsylvania is in play, the spend millions of dollars in the state; and every election, the margin of victory for the Democrats increases. Being from Pennsylvania, I'm worried he and his staffers will be under the impression that Pennsylvania is winnable suddenly and, in the process, put a large number of resources into what will be a futile effort Pennsylvania when Indiana, Colorado, and North Carolina are going to need as much help as they can get undoing the damage caused to us by the Democrats and President Obama.
With the above said, I really like Santorum and think he would make an excellent President if he decides to run. To date, he's undoubtedly among the best candidates to indicate interest for the Republican nomination in 2012. Of all the names of people I've heard so far, Santorum and Barbour (Governor of Mississippi) are my favorites.
Archived Comments
Steven M Nielson
Luis G. Fortuno - a rising star in the Republican Party and newly elected governor of Puerto Rico... Natural Born Citizen of the US in a Territory, has a clean and ideal past, and will bring up major issues regarding US territory policy, the idea of "Americana", and what it means to be a part of this country... also another issue - states rights and sovereignty will be huge... this may also play well with the addition of PR to become a State of the Union...
Thoughts?
Laurie
I think Santorum has been out in front of too many devisive social issue fights to make him a viable Presidential candidate. While he may be able to claim some credibility on fiscal matters, his point-guard position on issues that have proven to turn swing voters away makes him "easy pickins" for either a primary fight or a general election.
Chris H
It is not possible to be both in favor of our foreign policy and be for responsible spending. Break out a calculator.
Total revenues from all taxes: 2.318 Trillion
Expenditures for Interest payment: 480 Billion
Expenditures for Defense: 663 Billion (not war, simple DoD budget)
Expenditures for Social Security: 695 Billion
Expenditures for Medicare: 453 Billion
Expenditures for Medicaid: 290 Billion
Total Expenditures by that category: 2.581 Trillion
In order for responsible spending people to get in his camp and have us continue our foreign policy, he's got to eliminate Medicaid or cut Medicare in half (not even talking about the rest of the budget). I don't see how you get elected with that approach.
Brian D
He is a little to socialy conservative for my tastes. But I think we are entering into a period where a southern Republican will have a hard time winning in the general election. This will be much like the period of time where a northern democrat (think McGovern, Humphrey, Mondale, Dukakis, Tsongas, and Kerry) had a hard time winning. To have any sucess the Democrats turned south (think Carter and Clinton). Really W. Bush was an anomaly in the sucession of Nixon, Reagan, and the New England bred Bush #1. A northern conservative or western conservative are the party's best shot. Though I think most Republicans have already written off 2012. They need a true strategy for rebuilding the party and electing governors and congressmen or anybody in the northeast and New England before they can think about carrying any of the states in the national election.
Kevin Tracy
Sorry it took so long to approve your comments. Since we've been forced to make a fresh start, I have to approve all first time commenters... even if you're not a first time commenter.
Steven,
Wow! that would be something. Fortuno might be a really awesome awesome contender. I don't know if he'll be ready by 2012, but definitely by 2016. I hadn't even thought of him, but he meets the constitutional requirements.
Laurie,
That's my biggest concern about him. Maybe his answer to that is in how he won in such a moderate state like Pennsylvania in 1994 and 2000. I mean, he's pretty consistent with his ideology.
Chris,
No offense, but everybody gets elected with that approach. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but that's what happens. If anybody would cut the pork out of the entitlement programs, however, I'd probably pick Rick Santorum to be the guy to do it. Furthermore, even if he does cut entitlement programs, that's not going to be good enough for the extremists in that wing of the party who argue for what would ultimately be an abandonment of our super-power status in the world.
Brian,
Reagan had a pretty Democratic leaning Congress as well, but he still got elected. If the party abandons 2012 with all the grassroots things going on, it will only hurt us more at every level. You're exactly right about the grammatical error and I'll fix it now. That's what I get for writing at Insane:30 hours in the morning as I'm literally falling asleep. (I truthfully don't remember writing the last two paragraphs or pressing the "Publish" button... scary!
Chris H
What? Name one person who on the stump says "we're going to cut Medicare in half" and wins?
Kevin Tracy
It won't be that much... and it will obviously be worded differently.
Steve
Look for Romney to tap Santorum for VP should he win the nomination........
Matt
I don't think Santorum would cut it. Don't get me wrong, he is a true conservative.. Look up some highlights of the Santorum/Casey debates in 06.. I remember him coming across as very angry. Santorum is today what Newt was a decade ago. The ultimate partisan. Would I vote for him? yes. I just can't see him winning.
Devin
I know Rick Santorum seems a bit too conservative for today's media-viewing public, but, I think he actually could win because he doesn't back down. Remember the words "tear down that wall Mr. Gorbachov"? Reagan did not back down and I see Santorum in the same light. And also, I think that more than half the nation is still more conservative than liberal. Republicans must stick together and the Republican party has to stop funding candidates who simply won't win like Bob Dole and John McCain.
Empire State Buddy
Palin/Santorum 2012
Kevin Tracy
No.
daltonsbriefs
Kevin, you will be happy to learn I'm still for Palin ... for my best guess I'd say it's Palin/Ollie North.
Kevin Tracy
I'm just curious to know why you think Ollie North. I mean, it's bad enough that Palin has no experience, but adding a guy on the ticket whose experience should have landed him in prison? Are you assuming Palin is going to re-hire McCain's staffers?
Don't get me wrong, I like Ollie North. But you're just asking for trouble if you put him on the ticket.
