Kalamazoo, Mich. — Some voters waited as long as two hours outside Heritage Christian Academy, in 33 degree weather, to hear Rick Santorum speak– and their patience paid off, as hundreds more were turned away at the door when approximately 1000 people turned out for the election eve event.
Santorum built his address around an attack on President Obama’s health care law. “They don’t want you to experience Obamacare before the election,” he said, alluding to the aspects of Obamacare that don’t take effect until 2014. He suggested that Obama views Americans as “mindless fish” to be hooked on a new entitlement program after the 2012 elections.
The Republican hopeful also capitalized on the recent criticism of his religious statements, telling an excited audience that he believes that “just because you have a differnt opinion from me doesn’t mean you hate me or that I hate you — that’s what America is about.”
The crowd of Christian conservatives agreed. “They cast him as an extreme right [candidate],” local voter Brent Sundberg told The Washington Examiner, “but I think he’s like Reagan.”
Mitt Romney, on the other hand, seems to have failed to convince many of West Michigan voters that he is conservative. “I don’t really care for Romney — just a gut reaction,” said Elizabeth Velderman, a woman who leans towards Santorum, but might vote for Newt Gingrich. “I don’t understand how a true conservative could be elected in a state like Massachusetts.”
Sundberg concurred, describing Romney as a candidate “in the process of migrating [to the] right.” Corey Wysinger, a local highschooler who waited outside almost an hour, said he was excited “to see our future president.” Wysinger praised Santorum for being “honest, even on issues people don’t like.”
During his speech, Santorum observed that political observers think he’s “too conservative” to win, but Romney attacks him for not being conservative enough. “I’m just right — not too hot, not too cold,” he joked. “I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people tomorrow,” he also said.
