Following wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, Mitt Romney is on the verge of becoming the overwhelming favorite to win the Republican Presidential nomination. Wins in South Carolina and Florida will all but seal the former Massachusetts Governor’s bid for the White House race in November. One question many in the party are starting to ask: who will Mitt pick as his Vice Presidential nomination? The frontrunner for that job? Rick Santorum.
Campaign on the Rocks
After a very impressive showing in Iowa, Santorum’s campaign hit a brick wall in New Hampshire. The former Senator from Pennsylvania finished a disappointing fifth place in the primary and showed many that his strong results in Iowa were not repeatable across the country. Without the finances or political infrastructure in place to contend on a national level, Santorum’s chances of garnering the nomination are all but diminished barring a top two finish in either South Carolina or Florida.
While Paul, Gingrich and Perry have been relentlessly attacking Romney in recent weeks; Santorum has avoided piling on. Why? Well for starters, Santorum has run a very positive campaign and has generally steered clear of negative attacks. More importantly, I’m sure people in his campaign realize that a Romney/Santorum ticket makes perfect sense and here is why:
Conservative Credentials
The Republican Presidential Nomination race can be boiled down to one phrase: Romney vs. the Anti-Romney. Being the former governor of a left leaning state like Massachusetts, where he implemented his own form of universal healthcare, has many Republican voters wondering if Romney is a conservative enough candidate. Santorum clearly can fill this gap, as he is seen by many in the party as the most conservative of the major candidates left in the field.
Swing State Support
Chances are that the November election will be a very tight race in which swing states will be vitally important. Two that stand out in my mind are Pennsylvania and Iowa. Being a former Senator from Pennsylvania and with his strong showing in the Iowa Caucus; Santorum could be the shot in the arm that Romney needs to carry both states.
Evangelical Christians
One of the largest voting demographics in the US is the Evangelical Christian vote. Their high turnouts in 2000 and 2004 were vital for George W. Bush to carry both elections. Romney, a practicing Mormon, may have trouble convincing these important voters to turn out for his support. Santorum would obviously be an asset in garnering these votes as he has proven time and again to be successful capturing this large faction.