Santorum gets a vote, but no endorsement, from Alabama governor

Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum has in the days leading up to today's Alabama and Mississippi primaries played down expectations for his performances in the two southern states.

Tuesday, however, the former senator boasted of getting a key vote: Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley's.

Santorum tweeted a picture of himself with the governor, along with the message, "Honored to learn this morning on @rickandbubba that AL Gov. @GovernorBentley cast his vote for me and joined the fight!" His campaign also put out a press release to announce the governor's support for his campaign.

Bentley's support could have been helpful ahead of primary day, given that the most recent poll shows a close race in Alabama with Santorum trailing Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. However, the governor clarified that his vote was not technically an endorsement.

Bentley wrote on his Facebook page that he views Santorum as "the most conservative candidate" in the primary but that he's chosen not to endorse anyone.

"I believe a vote is a personal decision that should be based on a voter's values and principles, not on someone else's opinion," he wrote. "The Republican primary features a strong pool of candidates, and I will fully support the Republican nominee chosen by the people."

Most Republican officials, including Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, have chosen to support Romney over Santorum.

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39 Photos

Rick Santorum on the campaign trail

[Jackie_ONo]

If CA and NY don't come soon, it might be over for Romney. It's like my comicstrip Night of the Republican Candidate

http://zombielogicblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/night-of-living-republicans.html

They keep lumbering back into the picture "They're coming for you Obama..."

[shedhouserob]

This guy is no friend of the working man. He's a babied politican!
JFK makes him puke? What kind of a person would say that? I voted for Ike, Goldwater and Reagan the first time. The republican party has sunk to a new low to even having the bottom feeder running for president!

[harv823]

Santorum and Romney are both NORTHERNERS! Why would anyone vote for them instead of Newt who is from the SOUTH?

[tiredofeverything]

Why would anyone vote for any of them?

[Conservativesareidiots]

Santorum has done it again, stating hours ago that global warming is a hoax, as if the nut has the training and knowledge to determine anything about science. And I am glad that he did. The more he reveals how stupid and how ideologically narrow he is, the more we can be sure that he may never hold office again. Why is it that in America, you can be dumber than a tenth-grader and still rise so high in the Republican party? Aren't there any Republicans who are ashamed of this ignorance, and worried to death that they are all tarred by the brush of the biggest idiots in their camps, and thus any legitimate views that they may have will never be heard?

[FireUncleScam]

The governor is mistaken. Ron Paul is the most conservative candidate. His consistent record proves it.

[msimpson_usa]

Governor, Your personal vote is the ultimate endorsement. All of the GOP field was on the ballot and you chose Rick Santorum. How is that not an "endorsement?" You're walking a fine line trying to separate the two - just like a good politician. If you didn't want the people to know who you voted for, you should have kept that private. But, you didn't! To me, with all the field on the ballot, you voting for Santorum, telling everybody about it = endorsement.