Santorum: Gingrich campaign soon "irrelevant"
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum greets supporters during a rally Friday, March 9, 2012, in Topeka, Kan.
/ AP Photo/Charlie Riedel(CBS News) MERIDIEN, Miss. - Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum, fresh of his victory in the Kansas caucuses on Saturday, returned to Mississippi on Sunday to stake his claim as the standard-bearer of the GOP's conservative base, and he warned that Newt Gingrich's campaign will soon be "irrelevant."
In an interview after his second campaign event in Mississippi on Sunday, Santorum, a former congressman and senator from Pennsylvania, said the choice of conservative voters was evident yesterday.
"The reddest state in the country, Kansas, the most conservative red state -- Republicans own everything in Kansas -- we got fifty percent of the vote," Santorum said. "Congressman Gingrich spent a lot of money there, more money than we did."
Special Section: Campaign 2012Gingrich came in third in Kansas with 14 percent of the vote. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney was second, with 21 percent.
While Santorum won the most delegates in Kansas, Romney easily won the caucuses in Wyoming, which also announced results Saturday. Attention now turns to Mississippi and Alabama, which hold primaries on Tuesday.
Gingrich's only primary wins have come in the South. He won in January in South Carolina and last week in Georgia, the state he represented in the U.S. House of Representatives for twenty years, including four as Speaker.
Santorum said, "I understand there's some regional appeal for Congressman Gingrich, but he's won two states, out of what, 25 races so far? And he's finished third of fourth in almost every other race, and so, it's just not going anywhere for him."
Of the 1,144 delegates needed to be nominated at the Republican convention, CBS NEWS estimates that Romney has won 428, well ahead of Santorum's 179 and Gingrich's 97. Texas congressman Ron Paul, who is still actively campaigning but has yet to win a primary or caucus, has an estimated 39 delegates.
"We need to have somebody who can actually go out there and be the conservative alternative and have the best chance to win this nomination and then elect a conservative in the general election," Santorum said. "I know that's what Republicans in Mississippi want. They want a conservative. They don't want a liberal Massachusetts governor as our nominee. This is the best opportunity to coalesce on a conservative candidate, and we're going to make that happen."
Gingrich asserted in an interview with CBS News on Friday that he plans on staying in the race all the way to the end of the primaries. Santorum reacted by citing his big win in Kansas yesterday, his close second to Romney in the Michigan primary, and a poll showing him neck and neck with Romney in Illinois, which votes March 20.
Santorum said of Gingrich, "At some point, it becomes irrelevant whether he's in the race. I think this race is going to become a two-person race," meaning Romney and him. "Most of the votes he's getting are coming from me, and they're small percentages, but they're sufficient enough to continue to help Governor Romney be able to pull out some very close wins, and if that's what he [Gingrich] wants to stay in the race to do, then that's his prerogative."
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The Republican game plan is to destroy the economy blame the Democrats and President Obama. This is their strategy to obtain the White House and the Senate in the 2012 elections. If you think the Republicans are death on average Americans, working-class and middle-class people now. Just think of how much more damage they could do to this country if they had the house,the Senate and the presidency to consolidate power to do whatever they want. They would then have free reign to turn America into the Third World country that they want for their corporate overlords.
They've already shown their hand by not approving extended unemployment benefits for people and anything else that would help the average American. Then they took America to the brink of default with the debt ceiling crisis. A crisis in which they created. Republicans on the supreme court ruling corporations are people and therefore can give unlimited funding to politicians. Republicans fighting for tax cuts for corporations, big oil and the wealthy while advocating cutting social security, medicare and medicaid. For those reasons and more I can't imagine any thinking working-class poor or middle-class person voting to support Republicans after all the damage they've done to this country. Americans must reject republicans at town hall meetings and the polls for their anti American unpatriotic strategy and tactics. The only difference between Timothy McVie and the republicans is he used explosives and they used their congressional positions.
The phony debt ceiling debate and agreement is another part of the republican game plan to take back the senate and white house. They create artificial crisis to stall (run out the clock on President Obama's term) and cripple him and the economy to prevent JOBS from being discussed or created. They are counting on voters blaming the president for the bad economy even though they the republicans are sabotaging every step of the way. Even a blind man can see republicans couldn't care less for average Americans. Just imagine what they would do if they controlled the house, senate and presidency. Americans cannot let that happen. Because it is crystal clear by the behavior of republicans they do not want America to progress and will hold it hostage to prevent it.
Republicans are screwing up government to prove their mantra " government doesn't work". This is designed to frustrate and turn off non supporters from voting thus paving the way for their depraved zealots to vote republican. Americans need to punish republicans at town halls and the polls. They cannot be allowed to get away with sabotaging our great nation. Americans need to recognize that republicans have no intention or incentive to do anything to bring America out of its economic woes. They continue to attack women's health care, planned parenthood and contraceptives.
After all, they think they can also get elected by blaming President Obama and Democrats. Time will tell if voters will fall for this again. Prevent abuse of struggling Americans and America. Just say no to voting for republicans.
I really think the GOP, if they want to make a difference, should concentrate and strengthening the hold on the house and winning the senate. There is a very real danger however, that the acrimony in this GOP primary may benefit the dems in the senate and house races and may even cost the GOP a few Governors.
http://youtu.be/D3EJwdpEgP0
Gingrich as Speaker of the House: Federal balanced budgets with surpluses.. Welfare reform.. Millions of new jobs.. That sounds like progress to me and that is what this country needs right now! Newt Gingrich has been fighting for conservative values for years and winning! Vote Gingrich!
He also doesn't seem to understand math. It is nearly impossible for him to win, considering that he needs about 65% of the remaining vote, and he isn't going to get anywhere near that. He didn't even win the Catholic vote in Michigan or Ohio. Romney did.
He also doesn't seem to understand math. It is nearly impossible for him to win, considering that he needs about 65% of the remaining vote, and he isn't going to get anywhere near that. He didn't even win the Catholic vote in Michigan or Ohio. Romney did.
Romney has quite a ways ahead of both of them combined.