Could Santorum actually garner the GOP nomination?

[DevotedDemocrat]

Your thoughts?

[Keystone Phil]

Sure, he could.

[Maxwell]

Sure, If Rubio completely blows up when people dig beneath the surface, if Rand's attempts to test positions out on the public angers and tires conservatives and Paulites, and if Christie doesn't do a nearly sufficient job at holding moderates while retaining some conservatives, I think Santorum has a decent chance.

[Lincoln Republican]

Santorum has made so many outlandish statements that he would be easy pickings for any Democrat.

If he could make a speech more than once in six months that talks about something other than how hard his father had to work or about his family's courage in the face of adversity, he may have some credibility.

Hey, we all face adversity most days of our lives.  He's not the only one.

No.  The Republicans will not be nominating Santorum for anything, anyplace, anytime. 

[Keystone Phil]

Winfield's right; American politicians never discuss the adversity that their families overcame in this country. Only Santorum does that.

[Lincoln Republican]

Winfield's right; American politicians never discuss the adversity that their families overcame in this country. Only Santorum does that.

To complete the sentence

to excess.

[NewYorkExpress]

He will if Clinton runs, Every one on both sides of the aisle is afraid of her.

If Clinton doesn't run... He's got no prayer.

[bballrox4717]

Of course he could. He's an excellent campaigner who knows how to connect with the Republican primary electorate and ran pretty close to Romney despite being overspent. He'll face harder competition in 2016, but he'll have more organization to run a national campaign.

[Indy Texas]

Sure, If Rubio completely blows up when people dig beneath the surface, if Rand's attempts to test positions out on the public angers and tires conservatives and Paulites, and if Christie doesn't do a nearly sufficient job at holding moderates while retaining some conservatives there is a massive fire during one of the presidential primary debates and Santorum is the only candidate who manages to escape the building in time, I think Santorum has a decent chance.

[TDAS04]

It certainly is possible.  Fringe candidates do occasionally obtain nominations, such as Goldwater and McGovern (at least they were considered extreme back when they ran).

[Blue3]

Of course he could. Especially if Ryan doesn't run, and Rubio/Christie continue to be viewed as liberal sell-outs by the base. Santorum campaigns hard, and he'll be in better shape than 2012.

[Pessimistic Antineutrino]

It's possible if every single other candidate collapses or loses support, which hypothetically could happen, but the chances are slim to none.

And if he wins? Well then the perhaps he'll be the wake-up call we need to send the GOP in the right direction once and for all.

[old timey villain]

Oh my..."garner" aren't we fancy?? I kid, I kid

yeah, I think it's possible actually. The GOP didn't learn its lesson in 2012. They think Romney wasn't conservative enough. The faithful will be looking for the antithesis of Obama even in 2016 and Santorum fits the bill.

[wan]

Santorum will just be wasting time & money by running. He doesn't realize yet why Romney lost? You can't run a country like it's 1950 & impose your personal & religious beliefs on every citizen. There are good principles and bad principles. Anybody can be principled. Unfortunately, republican principles have been corrupted to demean women, encourage bigotry, and favor the rich.

[tmthforu94]

Unfortunately, it is in the realm of possibility.

[Blue3]

Santorum will just be wasting time & money by running. He doesn't realize yet why Romney lost? You can't run a country like it's 1950 & impose your personal & religious beliefs on every citizen. There are good principles and bad principles. Anybody can be principled. Unfortunately, republican principles have been corrupted to demean women, encourage bigotry, and favor the rich.

The GOP hasn't realized that yet.

If Santorum is nominated, and loses horribly, then maybe we'll finally see real change in the GOP.

Ted Cruz could do this job too.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

As the runner up last time, of course.

[wan]

Santorum will just be wasting time & money by running. He doesn't realize yet why Romney lost? You can't run a country like it's 1950 & impose your personal & religious beliefs on every citizen. There are good principles and bad principles. Anybody can be principled. Unfortunately, republican principles have been corrupted to demean women, encourage bigotry, and favor the rich.

The GOP hasn't realized that yet.

If Santorum is nominated, and loses horribly, then maybe we'll finally see real change in the GOP.

Ted Cruz could do this job too.

Right.

[Averroës Nix]

It certainly is possible.  Fringe candidates do occasionally obtain nominations, such as Goldwater and McGovern (at least they were considered extreme back when they ran).

Both parties have a far greater degree of control over the nomination process today. McGovern in particular could never have become the Democratic nominee under a more established set of rules.

[afleitch]

Possibly.

The GOP won’t learn it’s lesson from 2012 (or even 2014 if that comes). It will try and run against Obama even though Obama isn’t running and the Democratic candidate will probably do enough to keep a close/distant relationship with Obama’s legacy (depending on where things are come 2016) while also being able to pick more holes in Santorum’s sweater-vest. Democratic nominee wins a sizeable EC win and gets 50-55% of the vote. 2020 comes along. Gay Marriage now supported by a sold 65-70% of the population. GOP thinks they didn’t win because they aren’t ‘conservative enough’ and the activists demand the same things they demanded of the party twenty years before. Democrat wins re-election. Then and only then does the GOP finally get that only winning the popular vote once in the past 28 years is starting to become a problem.

[RI]

Of course he could, especially since Republican elected officials are flipping on gay issues much faster than the conservative base is. I expect some sort of backlash.

[TNF]

Yes, assuming that he's the de facto conservative candidate and there aren't any candidates to his right running.

[Zarn]

I think many people will choose whoever the other frontrunner is, just so Santorum does not win. Romney did it.

Last year it was anyone but Romney (except the two crazies Paul and Santorum, in that case... Romney).

[Eraserhead]

No.

[Vosem]

Sure, he could.