Shortly after being projected the winner in Missouri and Minnesota, Rick Santorum took to the stage and delivered a strong speech to supporters. Thus far, the nomination battle has been framed as a choice between the electable Mitt Romney and the search for a more conservative anti-Romney. But Santorum essentially made the case that this was a false choice. In a key line, Santorum said, he wasn’t running as the conservative alternative to Romney, but as the conservative alternative to President Obama.
When it gets to the general election, Santorum argued, Romney’s money and organizational advantage will be neutralized against Obama and thus the Republican nominee will need to be able to present a strong contrast on issues such as the Wall Street bailout and the national health care law. He opposed both, while Romney supported the bailout and signed a health care law in Massachusetts that was the model for Obamacare.
He also made a an anti-elitist argument, but it was a lot different than the one made by Newt Gingrich. In Gingrich’s case, it’s more anger against typical conservative punching bags — the media, the “establishment,” New Yorkers and so on. But in Santorum’s case, it was an argument about the elitism of Obama ignoring the public because he thinks he knows better than them and infringing on individual freedom in the process. I think that’s a more thoughtful and substantive critique.
When Santorum spoke about the conscience protection issue regarding Obama’s contraception mandate, he did it with passion and emotion — something completely lacking when Romney talks about it.
Santorum is still a longshot to actually win the nomination, but after tonight, he probably isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
