Posted on 04/14/2012 4:37:52 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Just when everyone was settling down for another month (at least) of borderline primary season tedium, it happened. Rick Santorum announced that, after one of the most surprisingly successful primary campaigns in recent memory, he was suspending his run for the Republican nomination to be President of the United States. What was behind this sudden about turn from the conservative who was closest to pushing Mitt Romney for victory? Well it has to be said that the decision seems largely to have been made on personal grounds. With his three year old daughter, Bella, having been hospitalised last week, noted family man Santorum decided to call it a day.
Of course there were political reasons as well, of that there is no doubt. The Santorum team was clearly frustrated with the failure of Newt Gingrich to pull out of the nomination race, a decision which, had it been made by the former Speaker of the House some time ago, could have resulted in Santorum being far closer behind Romney.
Furthermore the Santorum campaign simply could not have continued to compete with Romney financially for much longer. With his huge budget and supportive poll numbers in states like Santorum’s home state of Pennsylvania, Romney was making life more and more difficult for Santorum to remain a realistic competitor and no doubt that has taken its toll.
Still, it was a surprising move from a man who, as recently as last week, pledged to remain in the race until one candidate had amassed the delegate count needed for victory.
What is perhaps most interesting about the fallout from this Santorum move is the reaction from the Republican party. At the moment little is clear but this could be just the trigger Republicans have needed to finally get behind Mitt Romney as their candidate for November. Polling has suggested that Santorum supporters will now split between Romney and Gingrich and it is now almost a foregone conclusion that Romney will cruise to victory, especially as he is well ahead of Gingrich in polling in large winner takes all states such as California.
The best thing Newt could do of course would be to drop out but his stubbornness still knows no bounds and as such Santorum’s announcement only prompted him to make a plea for more support from conservatives. Realistically though his campaign must realise that only in their wildest dreams will Gingrich stake a claim to the nomination. His polling simply is not good enough and the amount of states coming up which feature winner takes all delegate allocation figures heavily against him as the Romney team will be able to vastly outspend him in the campaigning stakes.
One candidate who it seems will definitely finish the race alongside Mitt Romney is Ron Paul, the libertarian who has run his campaign to promote an ideal rather than with genuine hopes of victory. Paul could be on the list for potential Vice-President nominees, if so inclined, and so it will be interesting to see what he does when the GOP is forced to eventually put its weight behind Romney as its candidate. How soon that open backing of Romney will be remains an open question but senior party figures must be hoping that attention now finally turns to the fight against Obama and not the fight between Republicans.
Will it happen that by Rick dropping out Mitt picks up half of his supporters and the nomination?
Newt Gingrich knew that by staying in he was helping to preserve the conservative block of voters that would have moved to Romney.
But Newt is called "stubborn." I guess that depends on where you stand. From my vantage point, Rick Santorum handed the nomination to Mitt on a silver platter.
Ricks withdrawal made it easy for Romney.but the Gop still has to gin up support for this rhino
Look, this is a free market - and we’re getting the best candidate money can buy.
Dream on.
Rick was promised his life and the lives of his family would be nothing but misery so he gave up
“But Newt is called “stubborn.” I guess that depends on where you stand. From my vantage point, Rick Santorum handed the nomination to Mitt on a silver platter”
Bingo! Santorum absolutely knew that Bella would prohibit his run for office because of her health problems. I can’t help but wonder if, by playing nice with Romney, he made a deal with the GOP for a future coronation by the RNC when Bella is no longer an issue.
No? Check out the results from OH and MI and the delegate allocation rules from Alabama and Mississippi.
LOL I guess the chill pill did not work!
Romney won't even win his home state. But he will win Utah.
Dittos for Santorum. I posted this because history is being re-written to suit Mitt and cushion Rick.
In 2004, when the GOP-e told Santorum to endorse Arlen Specter over Pat Toomey he did what he was told, which after a bitter battle gave Obama-Pelosi-Reid Care the vote they needed to pass "affordable" universal health care.
Rick "took one for the team" but it is the country that eventually took it in the back. When Rick was defending himself to Mitt RomneyCare for "taking it for the team," Newt was attacking Obama's infanticide. Transcript of Feb 22, 2012 CNN Republican Debate in Arizona
Here it is 8 years later, and we've returned to the scene of the Santorum-Specter-GOP-e crime scene -- Pennsylvania -- to witness yet another vote involving Rick Santorum and choices he makes. Again he chose to remain politically viable. He dropped out to help himself. From now on he will be as "loved" and "respected" as Arlen Specter is.
The ONLY conservative left standing in the GOP Primary before and after Santorum's "surprise" suspension of his campaign is Newt Gingrich.
Wake up.
Any number of Newt supporters here think the best way to do this is to continue trashing Rick and those that supported him.
I guess I'm just too ignorant to recognize the brilliance of their plan.
Do what you will. I seriously doubt anything I’ve posted will affect how you vote anyway. I have sat back and posted threads on Newt’s campaign that have seen posters come on just to twist the gist of the thread — and for why? There is no mention of Santorum, they do it just for spite — because Rick dropped out.
I have not gone to Santorum threads before or after his decision, but today I felt that to keep the “record” of why Rick suspended accurate for a few moments longer, that I would post the truth.
Incidentally, yesterday I posted a comment to one of my own threads to keep it from turning into a Santorum roast. So go somewhere else “cripplecreek” to vent.
I’m not talking about you in particular. Take a look at this thread and at some of the rabid hatred being spewed at Rick Santorum and his supporters this morning.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2871985/posts
You're a regular little DNC-GOP-e talking point ventriloquist.
I think the Newt supports got tired of trying to be nice. It is hard to fault them.
F off.
You’re a regular old Eddie Haskell yourself.
Always playing the peacekeeper and always playing the victim and always faulting those who spot you for what you are.
Santorum dropping out certainly made it more likely that Mr. Etch-A-Sketch will win the nomination, but I think the party is far from being united and it will probably be even less united in November.
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