Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum suspended his campaign for president today. After energizing much of the conservative base, Santorum decides to bow out after making an unexpected strong showing. The social issues conservative was able to win 11 states and give the front runner, Mitt Romney some competition.
Santorum, while not being able to wrest the nomination from Romney, has arguably made himself a factor in national politics with this run. Presenting himself as the “conservative alternative” he was able to raise the issue of social values as a platform to run on. At a time when the majority of the political focus is on the economy, those are difficult talking points to bring up.
Santorum ends his bid for president just two weeks shy of the Pennsylvania primary. With him out, Mitt Romney has a clear path to the nomination. With Newt Gingrich admitting that Romney will likely be the nominee, and Ron Paul not winning a single state, the media attention will now turn to the general election.
It is now that the two trailing candidates in the GOP will begin to get significantly less media attention. The general election season, for all intents and purposes has begun.
Marc W. Polite