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Newt Delegates Break for Santorum

By: Loren Heal (Diary)  |  March 20th, 2012 at 01:56 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

In the final hours before the Illinois primary on Tuesday, two delegate candidates pledged to Newt Gingrich announced their support for Rick Santorum. Their decision should be the 95 Theses for any Congressman who would care to read the church door.

Effingham City Councilman Brian Milleville and Crawford County Republican Party Chairman Earl Deckerd announced their switch together. Both expressed their overriding desire for a conservative candidate to defeat Mitt Romney and go on to depose Barack Obama. Both had come to realize that unfortunately, Newt Gingrich would be unable to play that role.

The tipping point came on Saturday, March 17, when Representative John Shimkus, Congressional candidate for the new Illinois 15th District, endorsed Mitt Romney. Rick Santorum was the only candidate to campaign in the District. It wasn’t just the fact of the endorsement, but the manner in which it was made.

In rural Illinois, as elsewhere, there is a culture of trust among Party leaders. County chairmanship and the job of Precinct Committeeman are thankless ones with few perks; among them is hearing about major announcements personally from elected officials. It’s gray area, to be sure.

But what clears up the gray is that Representative Shimkus was the keynote speaker at the Crawford County Lincoln Day Dinner, and failed to mention his support for Romney. Rep. Shimkus did note, as he always does at such dinners, that his primary focus was on three areas: his Christian faith, his military background, and the right to life. Support for the Second Amendment also got honorable mention.

The Romney endorsement came across as cynical — or cowardly — subterfuge, since Romney is perceived in the District as a gun-grabbing abortion proponent. Not mentioning the endorsement in person gave the appearance of deception.

As a result, Deckerd and Milleville came to see that their role as conservatives and faithful Republicans overrode their loyalty to the man Newt Gingrich. The future of the Republic at stake, they knew they had to act.

“We’ve always thought ourselves as part of the local conservative movement within the Republican Party,” Milleville said.

As many as 9 Gingrich delegates were said to be endorsing Santorum Monday evening.

Milleville stressed he doesn’t have any hard feelings toward Newt, but his decision is more a recognition of reality. “I hope Newt follows our lead,” in endorsing and working for Santorum, he said.

And all because a Congressman wasn’t man enough to face a supporter with whom he disagreed.

All politics is local.

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  • texastaxpayer

    If we don’t stop the infighting Mitt Romney is going to win the nomination with a mid 30′s approval rating basically ensuring an Obama second term.

    • http://teapartisan.wordpress.com Loren Heal

      Some people are hanging on to the idea that Newt people would go to Romney, but I don’t think many would. And the status quo, in which Romney buys one state at a time — is unacceptable.

      • texastaxpayer

        Amen…. Couldn’t agree with that statement more if it was written by God himself.

        • clintonformccain

          NT

          • acat

            no text

          • clintonformccain

            I was thinking maybe their campaigns just weren’t effective at fundraising for a national race.

          • EyeofMitt

            I decided to stop by for my usual check-in on the Tuesday Night Non-Romney Panic Posse. I would guess that Mitt will have almost 600 or more delegates after tonight. Planning and preparation pay off!
            Underneath all the bravado the Romney Haters know that the magic number 1,144 is getting closer by the week. Don’t worry – I’ll be back on Saturday after Romney adds a few more delegates in the proportional Louisiana primary to continue my gloat.

          • civil truth

            Just keep that possibility in mind as you gloat on…

          • Juggernaut

            very soon.

        • annie54

          Poor Romney – he’ll declare a foul.

    • WillWong

      and be the VP on Romney’s ticket!

      Romney is a businessman and there is nothing that he won’t try to buy!

      And Rick’s past life before he was removed from the senate in 2006 was that of a team player. Just imagine when the GOP team starts coming down on him to take another one for the team!

      I believe Newt is staying in because of the possibility of Santorum caving and I am with Newt on this!

      • http://teapartisan.wordpress.com Loren Heal

        I don’t expect that at all, and I don’t think Santorum makes a good VP for Romney.

        But then, part of that may be that I don’t think Romney would make a very good President.

    • Finrod
      • texastaxpayer

        I doubt I am the only one. Voting for Romney is voting for everything we have railed against these past three years. Government over reach, excessive spending, market crippling regulations and economic policies that have been proven failures.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    -no*text-

    • texastaxpayer

      Not following you here?

    • http://teapartisan.wordpress.com Loren Heal

      Are you saying I was untruthful about something?

      • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

        I think you can make a solid argument (your link does support) that Romney hasn’t necessarily been an opponent of abortion. But calling him a proponent isn’t accurate. He’s consistently held that his position has changed and nothing he has said or done since the last election leads me to believe he is a proponent of abortion.

        • http://teapartisan.wordpress.com Loren Heal

          The consensus in downstate Illinois, where these two delegates are from, is as I state in the diary, “…since Romney is perceived in the District as a gun-grabbing abortion proponent.”

          Now, I worded it that way on purpose, primarily in the interest of promptness but also so that I didn’t have to regurgitate every point and counterpoint in the campaign. The point was how Romney is seen in the district, not what I can prove in a blog post.

          • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

            Then my comment applies to the district’s voters. Heck it’s Illinois….I shouldn’t be surprised.

  • acat

    If these morons wanted to be Santorum supporters, then they ought to have been Santorum supporters all along. Jumping ship halfway through is offensive to me….

    I will point out that these downstate folks are culturally quite close to Iowa, which sadly explains much.

    Mew

    • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

      It discourages rather than encourages the average voter.

      • http://teapartisan.wordpress.com Loren Heal

        Direct election of delegates.

        That’s why it’s a big deal.

    • http://teapartisan.wordpress.com Loren Heal

      Since when is name-calling acceptable?

      Since when is snobbery and geographical bigotry acceptable?

      In case you didn’t notice, acat, this site is called “redstate.com”. Those “culturally quite close to Iowa” people are our people.

      • acat

        there’s quite a few more geographies represented on Red State than just “Iowa”.

        Seems to me the arrogance of Iowa’s “first in the nation” status has caused an increasing number of problems for the GOP, and has been decreasingly useful as a predictive indicator.

        I have no use for a big-government pro-union nanny-state candidate like Santorum.

        As he doesn’t have the nomination yet, I will call out the fact that his folksy populism seems to sway folks who ought to know better.

        Gingrich’s social-conservative voting record is better than Santorum’s, and he’s got a much better fiscal record as well.

        Therefore, what these electors have done is, to me, despicable… they’re abandoning a superior candidate for an inferior one based on .. populism? popularity? because he can tell corn from milo?

        Mew

        • Scope

          that they have been awarded the first in the nation every time, it is the fault of the RNC that keeps refusing to change the primary system despite the screams and cries for major changes for years.

          You are the one that referenced the downstate Ill folks as being “culturally close” to the Iowans, as though they are both inferior people, yet you preach in an ensuing comment that there are other geographies represented here at at RS? You are the one that brought up that geographical class warfare type of argument to begin with.

          This line of reasoning is similar to your arguments against bringing manufacturing back to the US, as they would be “unskilled jobs” that would be brought back.

          Your comment about Santorums voters being swayed by his populist positions, who should know better, probably do know better. They’ve looked at Gingrich’s populist positions, green energy, moonbases, individual mandate support, immigration, and support of the Dede Scozzi’s and Andy Sterns as much more troubling than the negatives that Santorum surely owns.

          You have every right to your opinion, and that is what you have expressed. So to do other’s have a right to their opinion. Calling anyone who doesn’t agree with you “morons” (the Ill voters) is so beneath how you used to post. It only shows you utter and complete hatred of Santorum, and that obviously includes those that support him. At least a few times, you a proclaimed libertarian, have been honest though when you referred to his dissin’ of libertarians. I’m not sure that there are many Ron Paul supporters, who proudly call themselves libertarians, that are not seen with complete disdain, including by you yourself.

          • acat

            After all, you’re the one with the long-running hatred of all things libertarian.

            Look, I have been VERY clear about why I dislike Santorum, and that I think his lack of private sector or executive experience, his pro-union populism and clueless fiscal policies make him nearly the worst we could do against Obama.

            Sure, he’s a social conservative .. but he’s *only* conservative on social issues… unless you’re only looking at the words he’s uttered since he hopped on the campaign trail.

            Anyone being taken in by this sweater-vest-wearing update to Elmer Gantry – including you, Scope – I do hold in contempt.

            Mew

        • rabun1016

          I liked Newt for many years, as there is no one who says it better. But is there anyone more in love with himself than Newt Gingrich? And that shows through. A President needs at least a pretense of humility and Newt doesn’t even have it in him to show that. But I really wish he were the wizard talking into Romney’s ear. Romney could use him as his campaign manager versus the very weak Stu Stevens (a la Charlie Crist) who is managing his campaing.

          • Xasteius

            Pastor Rick is doing it for God, so it’s okay.

          • littlehouse18

            Newt has done a terrible job running his own organization. He apparently hasn’t paid his staffers for two months, hasn’t reimbursed volunteers, keeps his staff guessing as to what he’ll do next, etc. At least that’s what Politico is reporting, for what it’s worth.

            This is the second time his campaign has internally fallen apart. He’s a great ideas man, it looks to me as if he hasn’t the skills to run an organization. Does this bode well for a president?

    • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

      If I have to choose between Cook County folk and Iowa folk, I’ll pick Iowa every time.

      Every time.

      • acat

        Illinois has three constituencies, Chicago/cook county, downstate, and suburbia.

        The only way a Republican wins is if suburbia and downstate move together .. and I don’t see Santorum carrying suburbia.

        Further, I find it revolting that people who had pledged to be delegates to one candidate are now reversing themselves .. while the candidate is still on the ballot. That seems to be a breaking of trust…

        Mew

        • Scope

          in SC that abandoned Perry for Romney, when Perry’s numbers were in the tank? Your argument has more to do with your severe dislike of the candidate that they broke for, rather than a question of honor. If Gingrich is willing to jump off the cliff, as his campaign seems to be willing to do, would you suggest his supporters jump off that cliff with him? Gingrich has become irrelevant at this point in the race. Gingrich is a dead man walking, so to speak. The only thing that has Gingrich still above the hole in the ground, is that his head is too big to fit down the hole he has dug for himself.

          • acat

            Yes, I did object to the Perry backers who broke for Romney.

            Mew

          • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

            Santorum is “irrelevant” and a “dead man walking” too.

  • macduff

    http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpps/news/mitt-romney-rick-santorum-delegate-math-illinois-primary-polls-campaign-university-chicago-20120319_18659680

    As reported by Fox in Houston yesterday evening.

  • Scope

    Very Conservative-

    S-48
    R-34
    G-13
    P-5

    Moderate to Liberal-

    R-47
    S-27
    P-12
    G-11

    Economy is recovering-

    R-53
    S-29
    G-10
    P-3

    Economy is getting worse-

    R-40
    S-35
    G-16
    P-8

    Rural-

    S-44
    R-39
    G-11
    P-8

    No college-

    S-44
    R-34
    G-13
    P-8

    Post grad education-

    R-53
    S-30
    G-8
    P-7

    Less than $50,000-

    S-42
    R-28
    G-19
    P-6

    More than $100,000-

    R-55
    S-28
    G-10
    P-6

    The very same exit polling pattern that has happened in sate after state.

    • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

      Evangelical vote. The Catholic vote by about 8 points.

      • rabun1016

        Unfortunately for people like Santorum, who really have never worked in the private sector – not even as long as Barack Obama, he has few options for a career other than plodding along supported by anti-Romney forces. I love a lot of his ideas; he is a skilled politician who has a good ear. But he is also a professional politician who has never worked outside a government but for four years and part of a larger problem in my humble opinion.

        • http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

          because they’re anything but conservative. His tax plan, for instance, is simply more Washington tinkering plus the establishment of a formal US industrial policy and some social tinkering. All by a guy who’s never had a real job.

          And with respect to his “good ear”, he must have had his hearing aid turned down for the last three months.

  • Scope

    As mush as Gingrich wants to claim that Romney has to split his campaign finances between attacking Santorum and Gingrich, the Romney campaign has move so far away from attacking Gingrich, it’s as though Newt is begging for carpet bombing at this point. Some news is better than no news. Gingrich is on big time life support it’s sad. The guy that so many here give such kudos to is more than imploding before their eyes, he is exploding before the American electorate. Alas, let’s just do everything we can to prop up the dead. The Gingrich supporters here know that as well as the majority.

    • clintonformccain

      Did Newt give another victory speech tonight?

      • rabun1016

        Newt will talk as long as the red light is on. Years from now, when he is in the asylum, Nurse Ratchet will have a tv camera with a red light on to kept Newt occupied.

        • texastaxpayer

          ;)

    • littlehouse18

      He surely would have won some important states and the whole momentum equation would have changed.

      Newt should still get out now, but will it be too late?

      Besides this though, can anybody defeat the Romney machine? It’s starting to look like you have to run for Prez for at least 6 years, and distribute your endorsements to all the right people in power over that time, and have hundreds of millions of dollars available. Are these the new requirements for choosing a president?

  • Scope

    when will he finally take his fat head and arse out of the race.

    • garfieldjl

      Illinois is known for corruption.

      Anyways if Gingrich got out he quite frankly would have no one to endorse.

      He’d have to choose between a cross between a smear merchant and dishonest used car salesman (Romney), someone that constantly comes across as a Religious Ideologue (Santorum, partly the media’s fault and partly Santorum’s), or a nut (Ron Paul).

      I think he’s staying in cause they are likely to implode.

      • Scope

        more excuses. Ron Paul is beating him in Ill. That speakes louder than your sorry excuses. If Ill. is corrupt, and puts Newt on the bottom, why did all those other states put him at the bottom? Were they all corrupt?

        • acat

          Daily Caller map shows Romney doing well in both Chicago (where he won’t do well in November, of course) and also in the collar counties and other larger populated areas.

          Compare this to the 2010 Senate race and you can see exactly what parts of Illinois the GOP delegate will automatically lose in November.

          Santorum’s winning the corn fields, and not much else.

          Mew

          p.s. Interesting to note that Perry has received almost 4,000 votes…

          • texastaxpayer

            And not just this evening. Though I think you called this awhile back quite accurately if I am not mistaken.

          • windwaker24

            with 97% of the vote reporting I was one of those votes. It may be “meaningless” to most people, but it means the world to me. He’s the first person I’ve actually voted FOR wholeheartedly! Sad commentary on the rest of the field…

          • acat

            Yes, it’s 0.6% of the vote total, but .. it’s 5,300 people who got off their couches – in a low-turnout year – and voted for a guy who had suspended his campaign!

            They didn’t “hold their noses”, they didn’t “choose the lesser of two evils”, they voted for the guy they liked.

            It’s not enough to get Gov. Perry off the sidelines, alas, but it ought to be enough to damn the process that got us here …

            Mew

          • Melody Warbington (rwm52)

            outspent Santorum 20 to 1 in the Chicago area, and 5 to 1 in other areas. Now that Santorum knows how Gingrich felt after Florida, perhaps they will be inclined to set aside their differences and pool their resources against Romney.

          • xymbaline

            nt

          • http://agendadocumentary.com zooboy

            … that Gingrich posted an article slamming SANTORUM here on RedState, about 2 days before the Illinois primary day. NOT an article critical of Romney. This telling development shows Newt’s true colors: Newt cares more about Newt, than he cares for the conservative cause.

  • lastgopinillinois

    They dont give a hoot that the voters who picked them were counting on their support of the Presidential candidate.
    They dont give a hoot what the voters want. It is not about what the voters want. To them It is about growing the power structure of the illinois GOP establishment, voters be damned.
    Thats why weve got a system where the GOP power brokers in Chicago pick our State central committee rather than the voters being able to pick them.
    Thats why our Tea Party candidates are knocked off by the big money guys. The GOP establishment here don’t want anybody rockin the boat.

    • garfieldjl

      http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/03/obama-hq-holds-offtherecord-briefing-with-romneys-118098.html

      Assuming this is true, it proves that Obama doesn’t consider Romney to be a threat.

      • lapert

        Obama’s campaign team gave a briefing to the press corps that is with Romney campaign – how does that prove anything at all other than they are already playing to the press?

  • Benta_Nordstrom

    Romney is getting a plurality of the votes but not a majority. The best option we have is for Romney to not get the “numbers’ he needs and for this whole process to head to Tampa. The conservative vote is being split between Gingrich and Santorum. I also think with Newt Gingrich staying in will help Santorum and our conservative cause. A brokered convention is our best hope. It is very unlikely that Romney can get the turnout he will need on election day. His stances on the issues are liberal and he will be our version of John Kerry….the flip-flopper. Our preferred candidate is no longer in the race but I still think Santorum or Gingrich would make a much better President than Obama and could beat him in November.

    • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

      I don’t think either of these candidates is that much of a sore loser.