Santorum Fights on in Wisconsin
By Danny Yadron
PEWAUKEE, Wis.–For a time here Saturday, Rick Santorum appeared to be running in a Republican primary of one.
Speaking at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s presidential forum here, Mr. Santorum was the only candidate to talk about his Republican opponents, who stopped by earlier in the day. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich instead attacked “radical secularism” and “radical Islamists” while pitching his movie about Pope John Paul II. Mitt Romney, with his commanding delegate lead, appeared to have moved on from the primary fight, focusing exclusively on President Barack Obama.
Rep. Ron Paul did not attend, and has no public events until a $350-a-head fundraiser Thursday in San Francisco ($250 with student or military ID, his website says).
It was the latest sign that the 2012 Republican nominating contest is transitioning into a general election, likely pitting Mr. Romney against President Obama. The GOP front-runner may be disliked by large swaths of his party and is far from mathematically clinching the nomination. But the consensus among local Republicans seems to be that Mr. Romney has just about won this thing, even it’s not yet official.
“There comes a time when you have to come together,” said Ted Selerski, an electrical contractor from Pewaukee who said he will likely vote for Mr. Romney Tuesday even if he favors Mr. Santorum. “I think it’s that time.”
Mr. Santorum remained undeterred, continuing to paint the front-runner as a moderate dressed up as a conservative. Less than an hour after Mr. Romney left the stage, Mr. Santorum pointed out, as he often does, that the health care law he signed in Massachusetts is similar to Democrats’ national health care statute. (Both laws require most individuals to purchase health insurance.)
“He is uniquely disqualified,” Mr. Santorum said of Mr. Romney’s ability to debate the president on health care policy. “You have one person who can make that case, and you have one who can’t.”
Polls here show Mr. Santorum trailing from 5 to 10 percentage points. It has also
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Posted by RobertButler
on Mar 31 2012. Filed under 2012 Presidential Campaign.
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