By Doug McKelway
The immortal campaign words from the 1990s Its the economy Stupid were thought to apply to the campaign season of 2012 too. But recent circumstances have re-ignited the culture wars and help to explain the sudden and unlikely rise of
Rick Santorum a Republican social conservative who was all but written off.
Santorum a former Pennsylvania senator has ridden into a statistical tie with
Mitt Romney according to three recent national polls. His ascendancy largely is the result of four key controversies that have risen with uncanny timing to ignite a fire among evangelicals Catholics and social conservatives.
They include the decision by the Obama administration now amended to require institutions run by the Roman
Catholic Church to provide contraception coverage to female workers; the ruling by a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that overturns Californias law banning gay marriage; the Pentagons decision to open about 14000 combat-related positions to women and the
Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundations decision to withdraw then restore grant money to
Planned Parenthood.
This is (Santorums) bread and butter says Nathan Gonzales of the Rothenberg Political Report. Rick Santorum couldnt have manufactured this scenario where he is in a dead heat with Mitt Romney.
The question for Santorum and the
Republican Party is whether his recent rise is the beginning of a path to the Republican nomination or rather the apex of a short-lived roller coaster ride.
Theres no question that social issues are at the top of peoples minds but the people that are most concerned about social issues were already going to vote in this election and they had already decided Gonzales said. Thats why I still think economy more moderate voters
swing voters in the middle are going to be that deciding factor.
For all that Santorum has done to inspire social conservatives his rise has also had the opposite effect of energizing President Obamas liberal base.
Take for example Tuesdays remarks by a group of Democratic senators determined to defeat a Republican amendment that would that would overturn the Obama mandate that requires health insurers to provide contraceptive coverage.
We are debating another attack on
womens health care fueled purely by politics Sen.
Patty Murray D-Wash. said. Taking the lead from their partys surging presidential candidate Rick Santorum this amendment seeks to change debate in D.C. from growing the economy and growing jobs to fighting culture wars.
Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey put it more bluntly: The
GOP option gives women one option -- barefoot and pregnant.
Indeed Gonzales of the Rothenberg report suggests that Santorums social conservatism wont sell well among the huge pool of independent voters whove become disenchanted with president Obama.
If Republicans are painted as the party that is most concerned about social issues and thats their primary focus theyre going to get destroyed with independent and moderate voters who will decide the election in
swing states he said.
Some analysts have suggested the new focus on social issues rather than economic ones has also paralleled the release of economic data showing slight improvement in the economy.
Gonzales puts it this way: How people feel about the economy is more important than the actual state of the economy. They have to believe things are getting better and not just get bombarded with economic numbers.
