GOP Presidential candidate Republican Rick Santorum shakes the hand of Carol L. Venn as Santorum enters the room to speak at Manor House in Friday Feb. 17, 2012 in Mason. / The Enquirer/ Joseph Fuqua II
Paul E. Kostyu reports:
MASON —Republican Rick Santorum wasted little time Friday evening to blast President Barack Obama’s plans for America, while making only a passing reference to primary opponent Mitt Romney. Making a patriotic speech to several hundred members of the Warren County Republican Party, the former Pennsylvania senator said there are stark choices in the general election.
“In 2008, people believed they needed a leader they could believe in,” he said. “What America wants is a leader that believes in them.”
He criticized Romney, referring to him as a “certain governor not for private-sector health care,” while criticizing the national health care plan pushed by Obama.
“It’s not just about jobs,” Santorum said in his 30-minute speech. “What’s at stake is the soul of America. Where does Ohio stand? Where do they stand for families and small business? For churches and community organizations? Are they for local government and community control, or are they going to stand with Washington? That’s the decision for Ohio.”
Rick Santorum gets a pat on the shoulder from Andrea Carskadden as Santorum enters the room to speak at Manor House in Friday Feb. 17, 2012 in Mason. / The Enquirer/Joseph Fuqua II
Though Warren County Republicans were hoping their Lincoln-Reagan Day dinner would be Santorum’s first Ohio stop on his presidential campaign, they got beat out by a quick change of plans when the former Pennsylvania senator stopped in Columbus to pick up the endorsement of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine.
Still, several hundred people poured into the Manor House here to hear Santorum, who is now running slightly ahead in Ohio and national polls. His stay was brief, because he had another stop yet to make in Georgetown for the Brown County Lincoln Day dinner.
The major news of the day, however, may have been the endorsement of Santorum by DeWine, because he backed Romney as early as October 2011.
“What you see is what you get with Rick Santorum,” DeWine said prior to the senator’s remarks. The two served together in the U.S. Senate.
“He’s a real person. He’s very human and a great leader. We’re looking for someone to beat Barack Obama, and there is only one person to do that.”
DeWine changes his endorsement
“To be frank, I’ve had some sleepless nights,” DeWine said, explaining his change of candidates.
“I could not, in good conscience, be on record endorsing Gov. Romney when I knew in my heart that Rick Santorum was the better candidate.”
Santorum made the announcement about DeWine’s support from the steps of the Ohio statehouse in Columbus Friday afternoon. The stop was one of several for Santorum.
Santorum is scheduled to make two stops back in Columbus today, with a local tea party group in the morning and at noon before the Ohio Christian Alliance. Tonight he is to speak in Akron, and he is scheduled to return to the state on March 2 in East Lake, east of Cleveland.
“I’m proud and honored to have the endorsement of my friend and former Senate colleague,” Santorum said. “Mike and I have a long history of fighting together for limited government and the sanctity of life, and I can think of no one who I’d rather be in this fight with than Mike.”
Also this week, CNN announced that a planned GOP presidential debate scheduled for March 1 in Atlanta had been canceled. Newt Gingrich was the only candidate to commit to the debate in his home state. The Ohio and Georgia Republican parties were co-sponsors of the event.
The Associated Press contributed.
