Actually, this is a notion that seems to be shared by a lot of extremists on both sides. The idea that the other side just doesn’t agree on the issue never comes up, but instead they realize it and are fighting against it. Admittedly, it’s something I see more often from religious people who just can’t imagine how someone can’t believe God exists and just sort of assume that, because it’s self-evident to them, others must realize it and be fighting against it.
Really, in his case, I think he believes everything he’s saying, and I think he just thinks he’s fighting the good fight. I think he realizes it’s an uphill battle and it would take a miracle to win, but maybe that’s exactly what he’s hoping will happen. It’s also possible he could be hoping for some kind of appointment or whatever by Romney as a peace offering toward the more extreme wing.
I keep hoping for this to happen but it doesn’t appear to me to be on the horizon. The modern conservative base seems to be built out of the proverbial some of the people that you can fool all of the time. No matter what setbacks they receive in the polls, they always accept whatever explanations they’re given as to why there’s no need to change direction.
Santorum’s comments in Puerto Rico were a misunderstanding of the law and the Constitution while he tried to win votes in Puerto Rico, not an effort to win votes from other people while he was hanging around in Puerto Rico. And no, he’s not going to be the front-runner in 2016 if Romney loses. It’ll be Christie, Rubio, DeMint, Haley, or any number of other people long before Santo has a shot.
That’s just foolish demonizing, BG, and you should know better. There was, at one point, a significant latino pull towards the republican party based on what are now called ‘traditional family values’ led by the catholic church. If that’s been undermined it’s based on other issues such as immigration and suspicion of non-English speakers. But that doesn’t mean it’s not there.
Similar things apply to the women’s vote, if such a large demographic can be broken down that way (it really can’t). A great many women’s groups have an inherent conservatism to them that is currently being shaken by Santorum’s take on contraception. But again, it’s not like that isn’t there.
Concerned women for America wouldn’t mind though, surely? I think there was a Christian women’s group that successfully lobbied against cinema and alcohol in New York at one point too.
Yes, but that is millions of votes. It means Santorum can no longer be dismissed as just a joke candidate like Bachmann or Cain or Trump. He’s now become a serious candidate.
Staying in the nomination race to the bitter end has got to be the worst way to set you up for the next election cycle.
Also, Santorum has really cemented himself as the anti-gay candidate. He can’t walk away from the things he’s said. In 2008, a majority of the population opposed gay marriage. In 2012, a slight majority are in favor. It certainly isn’t going to look any better for Santorum and his backwards social agenda in 2016.
I’m sure Santorum has no plans of disavowing his anti-gay platform in 2016.
For most people, gay rights is not a major issue. They might have an opinion for or against gay marriage when asked but it’s not an issue that will decide their vote. Let’s say ninety percent of the voters are essentially neutral on gay rights issues. And the other ten percent are split: some voters are pro-gay and some voters are anti-gay.
Santorum knows he’s not going to get many pro-gay votes. And Romney or some other Republican candidate isn’t going to get many pro-gay votes either. But Santorum and other Republican candidates are competing for anti-gay votes.
I think your basic assumption and numbers here are a little off. Gay marriage/rights isn’t a big issue for me, but homophobia is. I don’t vote for people who think their vague book is the word for word instruction manual for how our country should be organized, largely because I feel like they are shitting on the 1st amendment when they do so.
The people that Santorum/Romney/(Anti-gay Republicans in general) intend to win by being anti-gay are going to start dying off at ever faster rates, so if that’s there plan of success they better get cooking.