Iowa is now in the rear view and the exit for New Hampshire is coming up ahead. Before a week ago, it appeared Newt Gingrich would run away with a big win in the Iowa caucuses, and Mitt Romney was going to focus on “more winnable” states like New Hampshire (where he’s a lock), and Florida.
Then, something happened. The “Romney PAC attack ads” and the sharp decline of Newt. Ron Paul surged temporarily until his racist newsletters re-surfaced and he had to defense or good answer as to why these old newsletters printed and distributed which bore his name had that horrible content inside.
Who was left? Rick Santorum. Previously “Mr. 2%” but now the “Little Train Who Could.” Santorum made a cost-effective, grass roots, down home and valiant run at winning the Iowa caucuses. And he came within 8 single little votes of achieving the biggest upset in Iowa caucus history.
Does Iowa matter, though? You’ll hear those on the Left (and one of the GOP candidates) tout that Iowa “doesn’t pick Presidents.” Although, they did pick the last two, voting for both George W. Bush and Barack Obama. What are facts anyway, other than “guidelines” for pundit talking points, though, right?
Iowa does matter…maybe. If Rick Santorum (who’s not on the ballots of all 50 states) can somehow syphon Rick Perrry and Michele Bachmann’s voters, raise the funds which would have otherwise gone to them, and become “The Anti-Romney,” then Iowa mattered a whole lot.
Santorum, with Perry out of the way, although that’s not going to happen, could have easily won South Carolina over Mitt Romney. With Newt Gingrich in full-on attack dog mode, the road is paved for “the Santorum Surge” to continue.
Some say that Santorum is too conservative to win a general election, which his very staunch anti-gay and even anti-contraceptive views, but George W. Bush wasn’t exactly a raging Liberal and he managed to be a two-term President. I would say don’t discount the far reach of Christian-minded voters, especially with someone like Santorum who is at the very least consistent and up-front with his beliefs and views.
Some also say that Santorum lacks the organizational capacity and funds to make a full and serious 50 State run, but the quicker Perry gets out of the way the quicker Santorum can grab the resources and support he needs.
Should Perry promptly leave the race, the GOP voters will be looking at Romney (a Mormon from the North and former governor of a very liberal state who has a record of changing his political views to fit the race he’s running) and Ron Paul (a Libertarian who’s foreign policy and social liberalism don’t sit well in the slightest with the Republican base), or Rick Santorum (a Catholic in a faithful and long-standing marriage who is a former Senator and holds deep and steadfast convictions and also knows a thing or two about foreign policy).
Don’t discount the Little Train That Could, because he could be chugging away right on up to that stage on the last day of the GOP Convention.