DES MOINES — Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum held final rallies in the Des Moines area Monday night before Iowans go to the caucuses, and the contrast between the two campaigns could not have been greater. On the one hand was the poorly-funded back-in-the-packer enjoying an emotional boost in the polls while still trailing badly in organizational strength. On the other was the rich, powerful, and organized juggernaut hoping to knock out much of its competition before the fight even begins. In the suburbs of Des Moines Monday night, the GOP contest came down to the Gritty Underdog versus the Death Star.
Santorum chose to deliver his closing argument in a Pizza Ranch restaurant in suburban Altoona — a reasonable choice, given that Santorum has visited about three dozen Pizza Ranches during his travels across Iowa. A small room in the back was filled with some supporters and a lot of media, and Santorum spent a few minutes speaking to them before repeating some of his remarks in the restaurant’s main room.
