COMMENTARY | Rick Santorum has been gaining momentum in the Republican race for presidential nominee. So far, potential candidates that have dropped out of the race include Jon Huntsman, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry and Herman Cain. At one time during the race, Newt Gingrich was the frontrunner. However, Mitt Romney has lasted the longest in the position. The current candidate making his mark is Rick Santorum. Does he have what it takes to solidify the nomination and compete with Barack Obama in the 2012 election?
Santorum is very conservative. He is pro life and against gay marriage. He has been vocal in his opposition to homosexuals serving openly in the military. Santorum is also for cutting taxes on big corporations and having a strong military presence globally. He is one of the most adamant in his belief of bombing Iran and believes that striking the country before they acquire a nuclear weapon is vital to the security of the United States.
Santorum has been able to gain momentum because of his strong grass roots campaign. He makes it a point to go to town meetings and greet the locals. He has hosted numerous open forums for people from across the country to ask him questions personally. He always answers honestly. The constituency that most associates with the candidate are conservative traditional Americans with strong Christian beliefs. They are able to get behind his strong pro life message and anti homosexual rhetoric. But can he beat Obama?
It is my opinion that Santorum cannot beat the incumbent. Although he has some strong followers, Santorum is too far right in his stances. Romney is more moderate, regardless of what he says in the debates. Santorum’s severe conservatism will shy independent voters away who may have been able to been swayed to vote Republican if he did not get the nomination. Also, his campaign funds are miniscule compared to those of Romney. Romney’s financial backing is quite substantial. He will be able to run a campaign comparable to Obama. This would not be possible for Santorum with his current financial backing.
If the Republicans want to win the presidency in 2012, Santorum will not be the one to do it. I believe he is just the flavor of the month and Romney will ultimately win the nomination. If by some miracle Santorum does win, he will lose to Obama in the election.
I am a news junkie who has followed the 2012 Republican debates very closely. I have enjoyed watching the race unfold and seeing what it takes to earn a nomination for the party.