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Subscribe to RSSDo-or-die time for Santorum… And further breaking down tonight’s contests in Colorado, Minnesota, and Missouri.
Charles Rex Arbogast / AP
Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum speaks about healthcare, Monday, Feb. 6, 2012, in Rochester, Minn.
*** Do-or-die time for Santorum: While they haven't received the same kind of attention as the other early nominating contests, today's races in Colorado, Minnesota, and Missouri are worth keeping in mind for three reasons. First, they have more projected delegates at stake -- a combined 76 (40 in Minnesota, 36 in Colorado, and zero in Missouri, whose delegates will be determined a later date) -- than all the combined delegates for Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. Second, they all occur in presidential battleground states. And third, they give Mitt Romney's challengers, particularly Rick Santorum, the opportunity to upset Romney. Indeed, if Santorum is going to make a serious move now, it's going to come in one of the caucus contests, where either a more conservative or better organized candidate can pull off a victory. Bottom line: It’s do-or-die time for Santorum, and he needs to win two of these three races (Minnesota and the beauty contest of Missouri) to keep his White House chances alive. By the way, today is going to be a tough day for Newt Gingrich; the only question is whether he’ll finish third or fourth in all three. There’s a reason why he’s in Ohio today…
Republican presidential hopefuls have been campaigning in advance of contests Tuesday in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri with a total of 70 delegates up for grabs. NBC's Peter Alexander reports.
*** Breaking down tonight’s Colorado caucuses: Per NBC’s John Bailey, Colorado’s caucuses work very similarly to Iowa’s. Starting at 9:00 pm ET (7:00 pm local time), Republicans will gather at nearly 3,000 locations across the state to participate in a presidential-preference straw poll conducted by secret paper ballot. The results are then counted, announced to the caucus, and called into county headquarters. Results will be posted beginning at about 10:30 pm ET at http://results.cologop.org/. The state party hopes to have the statewide results totaled and compiled by 12:30 am or 1:00 am ET. At stake are 36 delegates. But just like in Iowa, the delegates to attend the national convention in Tampa will be elected at subsequent state and congressional-district assemblies and conventions. In 2008, slightly more than 70,000 Republicans turned out in Colorado’s caucuses.
*** Breaking down tonight’s Minnesota caucuses: Minnesota, NBC’s Bailey adds, works very similarly to Iowa and Colorado. All caucuses start at 8:00 pm ET (7:00 pm local time). They elect caucus leadership and then conduct the preference poll. In 2008, about 65,000 Republicans turned out, and the party hopes to have similar turnout this time. Unlike the other states, Minnesota’s caucuses report their results to the secretary of state. The state party estimates results will begin being posted on the secretary of state’s website at about 9:00 pm ET (8:00PM CT). Forty delegates are at stake, but like in Colorado and Iowa, Minnesota will actually choose the individuals who will go to Tampa at its later conventions.
*** Breaking down tonight’s Missouri primary (which is really a beauty contest): Today’s primary in Missouri is nonbinding – essentially a beauty contest – and its delegates will be awarded at a later date. But that hasn’t stopped the pro-Santorum Red, White, and Blue Fund Super PAC from running advertisements in the Show Me State.
*** On the 2012 trail: Romney holds a rally in Loveland, CO… Santorum also hits a rally in Colorado, in Colorado Springs, before heading to an event in Blaine, MN… And Gingrich campaigns in Ohio.
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I wish Santorum well if for no other reason that to stick it to Romney. I'm sorry but my disdain for Romney at this point is so much that I'd rather have Gingrich win.
Iowa - Guy
I agree. I want to see Newt continue all the way to the convention and attack Mitt relentlessly. I live in Massachusetts and have first hand knowledge of Romney's flip flopping. He'll say anything to get elected. He hasn't been gainfully employed since 1999. Running for election is his only job. He wants to be president so bad, he'll sell his soul to achieve his dream. Trust me, you don't want this slime ball leading our great country.
I dont want any Republican running this country. I admire Santorum for living his beliefs but hearing him last week telling a mother that paying $900 for medication for her child is worth it and the drug company should be defended is in a capsule what is wrong with the attitude of the Republican party.
Drug companies have for decades been one of the most profitable lines of business to be in and the amount of free "research" paid for by tax dollars that they have benefited from shocking.
Wonder why the media isnt covering this aspect of the story- oops sorry forgot about all those ad dollars pouring into the coffers of the multi national media corpporations.
"...living his beliefs..."? Yeah, like living in Virginia while representing Pennsylvania and sucking our school tax dollars out of the state for his spawn.
Yeah, good choice.
Media propaganda will be the end of us. Saddam Heussein literally knows the feeling of what ending up in a hole means. End of life consultaions given out by Hilary grab a number. Build them up then bring then bring them down political ideology. Push pull economics is what it is. To the right by golly..
Santorium sanitarianism is what it is. Conservative ideology wants no liberal boundries to deal with while liberal values condone accepting a liberal handout as a compromise. At least I know we have 58 states ehh . I see Russia from front door politicians for hire..
I am not concerned about the poor and I need a second chance to prove it.
All Santorum is doing is trying to get the VP slot. His vision of this country being controlled by the CTM (Christian Taliban Movement) is nothing but a fantasy for now. But, it has support, so one never knows if he can pull it off in the future.
The VP slot is the best place to start.
I would like to know where you got your info. on the CTM movement and Santorum?
Frankly I am glad that Santorum is still in it. He really doesn't have the money or the support he will eventually need but it is great that Romney has to worry and to spend so much on ads against other Republicans. If Santorum does reasonably well he could force a brokered convention and that would really be interesting.
Why does Missouri even vote if it is nothing more than a beauty contest. They want everyone to show them why don't they show us what they are thinking instead of delaying it for others to decide? Just asking.
Is this headline a joke? I'm truly serious. This candidate was D O A before the first debate
I love Santorum. A great guy. But I can't support him because of his singleness under what the our declaration of independence says. Yes, it does give the inalienable rights, but it wasn't until I was in college that I saw what motivated this country down to it's core to announce that freedom of religion. The declaration of independence says these rights are self-evident. Not God given rights, but self-evident. Benjamin Franklin changed to that word in Jefferson's writings. Franklin didn't add that word because he was against religion, he added it because he knew how religion can force it's beliefs on others, thus stepping over self-evident to God given rights. The safeguards our foundation is to also protect us from religion putting one's self above it so no one religion can take my rights away from me. I thank God I was born here were I have a choice - freedom of religion and freedom from religion if I chose it to be.
I love that Mr. Santorum is a dedicated family man but he's not going to get anywhere because of the culture of the United States. I hope he wins those two states there talking about because it means we get to see Mitt on stage looking even more exhausted because he can't handle the campaigning. If he wraps it up soon you bet for about two months Mitt and his wife will be taking a break.
Another crook, please exit stage left. Get rid of grovers goonies. Wake up Plez. He flips like he flops.
Santorum and Newt need to slice and dice Romney from now until the convention. Everyone in VA should support Ron Paul as he is the only one on the Ballot to oppose Romney.
Why not Hitler? HAHAHAHAHAH!
A fish. A Bass. A catfish. A bream. A carp? No its a Crappie on America. WAKE UP AMERICA!
Ron Paul is like a lot of conservatives. He says what he thinks and his value system is there for anyone to see. Unfortunately, like most conservatives his ideas about the country only work philosophically and not practically. Liberals are not much better but there seems to be fewer nuts in the liberal camp.
Santorum never had a chance he's just making money to keep from working
In the November 7, 2006 election, Santorum lost by over 700,000 votes, receiving 41% of the vote to Casey's 59%, the largest margin of defeat for an incumbent senator since 1980 and the largest losing margin for an incumbent Republican senator ever.
I want this guy as the republican candidate for President. Let's see how popular his extreme religiosity is with the everyday voter.
this certifiable plaque on our country hasnt a chance at the white house thank god
Vote Romney - Beat Obama
Vote Santorum/Gingrich - Beat Your Meat
The very poor in the United States of America is now 44 million people
Millions of these people
Were middle-class economically
Until Stock Market Collapse & Banking Crisis of 2008
Romney & saniflush & ging-RICH could care less for them now
Moochers , food-stamp , welfare people or what they refer to them as.
No hope for them to climb back up the ladder with leaders like that.
Unlike previous Republican Presidential contests, I haven't seen or heard about any surveys or polls. If that's really the case, then the resident of these three states will have a separate and independent gauge in which to voice their opinions without the undue influence of prior, subjective/scientific polling. It will be interesting how these voters end up voting.
Maybe the dems don't have much to brag about but if I were a republican I would play Russian roulette with five live rounds and one empty chamber. Or better yet, hand it out at the next debate.
Santorum is not presidential material. Unfortunately, he may be hoping to come in through the back door with a VP nod, but I imagine Huckabee will be chosen before Santorum. I hope neither party chooses a candidate whose only credential is being a far, right wing, Christian hoping to bring in the evangelical vote. Both Santorum and Huckabee sound as though they could have served on the Spanish Inquisition. I really hope the American voter will vote against such a strategy. I can never remember an election where an American political party has purposefully sought the darkest elements of American society, and celebrated them as leaders of the American Republic.
Geez this must all be a bit emabarrassing up in Minn for Bachmann and Pawlenty, eh?
I for one will miss Rick "Sweatervest" Scrotorum for the humor he has injected into the GOP campaign trail. He wasn't as funny as Michele "LAB" Bachmann but his warped views on society always made me chuckle!
The republican circus continues to entertain. Go clowns...keep me laughing. Tonight's king clown...sweet Rick, the most electable man in America.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah...somebody stop me from laughing myself to tears.
There is always HOPE!!