Santorum: I never considered dropping out amid daughter's hospitalization

Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum speaks during a campaign stop Monday, Jan. 30, 2012, at St. Charles Community College in Cottleville, Mo.

/ AP

COTTLEVILLE, Mo. -- Rick Santorum said Monday that after a weekend off the campaign trail and in the hospital with his daughter Bella, he never reconsidered going forward with his presidential bid. "These things always have a way of working out," he said.

"Obviously, if things had not gone well, that's a different story," he added outside St. Charles Community College in Cottleville, making his way through an overflow crowd that could not fit into his first event back on the trail, which drew 350 people. "But thankfully they have, and we feel very energized that she's gonna do well."

Santorum confirmed reports that Bella, who suffers from a serious genetic disorder, remains afflicted with pneumonia in both lungs. But he said she's "on the road to recovery," and told National Journal/CBS News that she'd be in the hospital for "a few more days, just to make sure."

Opting to duck out of Florida ahead of its Tuesday night primary, Santorum will visit Minnesota later Monday before heading to Colorado and Nevada on Tuesday. He told CNN that he sees himself as competitive in Missouri and Minnesota, and that he has hired staff for some of the Super Tuesday states in March.

"This is a race that we believe will come to us at some point, and we'll be able to take advantage of it when it does," he said.

Trisomy 18 in spotlight after Rick Santorum's daughter Bella hospitalized

[bossboy311]

Since God is all powerful, I'm sure he'll cure Bella and save her.

[Manslick]

And how is you can detemine what God will do??
You fanatics really irk me.

[JV1970]

Manslick It's called faith! With enough faith you can move mountains! Also Jesus said in Matthew 19: 26 "with God all things are possible."

[Jhihmoac]

Taking into consideration what has transpired with his daughter, I would think that Santorum's family would come before sparring with Newt, Mitt, and the rest of the GOP yo-yos...

But then again, I'm not a politician - SHEESH!

[vissionquest]

He is the only thing that makes Gingrich look normal