As Santorum Gains Momentum, Romney Attacks
February 6, 2012 | 12:28 PM
The Republican presidential primary might be ready for another twist.
Rick Santorum, the winner of the Iowa caucuses who has finished poorly in the four contests since, is showing signs of regaining momentum as the race lurches into February. Just look at how Mitt Romney's campaign has suddenly shifted its sights onto the former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania this week, blasting him for his support of congressional earmarks.
"Rick Santorum is a nice guy, but he is simply not ready to be President," Tim Pawlenty, a Romney supporter, said in a statement. "Plus, he wants Minnesota conservatives to believe he's as conservative as they are, but he's not. As a U.S. Senator, he was a leading earmarker and pork-barrel spender. He described himself as 'very proud' of the billions of dollars in pork-barrel projects he championed, and promised to defend the wasteful spending."
It's the first time in a month - since Santorum won Iowa - that Romney has focused his fire on him instead of Newt Gingrich. And that reflects a sense within the Romney campaign that Santorum represents a bigger threat Tuesday as the race heads into Minnesota and Missouri.
"With Newt falling off in some of these upcoming contests, some attention will turn to
Santorum," said one Romney adviser. "The campaign will keep promoting the economy as the top issue, but also draw contrasts with Santorum and his legacy as a congressional earmarker where necessary."
It's obvious that Santorum is a bigger threat in Missouri's nonbinding beauty-contest primary - Gingrich failed to even qualify for the ballot there. But that Romney also considers Santorum a stronger threat in the Minnesota caucuses, which are likely to attract a heavier dose of hardline conservatives inclined to support the ex-lawmaker, is a telling sign that he might have more momentum than Gingrich at the moment.
One other indication: An endorsement for Santorum from Ed Morrissey, who runs the popular conservative website HotAir.com.
"In my estimation, Santorum is the last consistent conservative standing, and the only one both promoting the conservative agenda and campaigning as a conservative in the race," Morrissey wrote.
Santorum's goal this month, as the race heads into a stretch of low-profile contests, is to emerge as the clear choice for conservatives who still oppose a Romney nomination. To do that, he'll need strong finishes Tuesday combined with disappointing results for Gingrich.
Defeating Romney would still be a longshot even if that happens. But as the race enters its last stretch, it looks increasingly possible that it's Santorum, not Gingrich, who represents Romney's toughest competition.
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