Santorum Can Win

One of the most surprising echoes from the political past is the mantra that Rick Santorum cannot win. This was the presumption and assured prognostication of most conservative Republicans in 2012, but its echo inexplicably reverberates into our upcoming primary season.

The refrain Rick can’t win is one of the most unanalytical, most unthoughtful claims of the season. Its taunting melody wafts on as if Santorum did not win Iowa in 2012 and advanced deeply in the primary season as Romney’s main opponent. But if Santorum won Iowa in 2012 with no money and while completely dependent upon volunteers driving him around in their pickup truck, how much easier will Iowa flip back to Santorum in 2016 when he comes loaded with cash and army full of experienced volunteers? 

And if Santorum were to win in Iowa in 2016, how much easier would it be for him to win contest number three in conservative South Carolina, which Newt won largely because Romney shenanigans managed to delay announcement of Santorum’s Iowa victory? How much more debate time would Santorum have had in those many debates in which he was only asked one or two questions? And if Romney only barely defeated Santorum in his second home state of Michigan where he outspent Santorum 6:1, and similarly in Ohio, how much easier will it be for Santorum to pick up those two states, loaded with cash and an experienced army of volunteers, and with a blue collar conservative message that no other Republican candidate has?

No, the refrain has no truth in it. No truth in it back then, no truth in it now. Anyone who sings it simply is uninformed and resorts to it only when they have nothing else to say. The more accurate song to sing is, Game on.