Santorum to MN: 'You're Going to Shake Up America Tonight'

Rick Santorum drew a modest crowd to Blaine, MN, Tuesday afternoon, hours before posting a .

The rally offered a glimpse into a candidate and campaign about to score a hat trick of striking (if nonbinding) caucus- and primary-season victories, from Minnesota to Colorado and Missouri.

The number of supporters gathered in the hall at the National Sports Center about four miles north of Fridley may have underwhelmed some, but by the end of his speech Santorum had the 200 or so who came enthused.

'Don't Settle'
"We were ahead by 1 percentage point" over frontrunner Mitt Romney in the latest poll, the candidate reminded those in the room, to loud applause.

"Minnesota, you don't need to settle for second best," Santorum told the crowd. "You are going to shake up America tonight!"

In fact, Santorum's margin over his nearest rival in the Minnesota GOP presidential straw poll turned out to be more like 16 percentage points. And that rival in second place was Ron Paul, not Romney.

Tough Talk
Santorum's speech in Blaine lacerated President Obama but lashed out even more at Romney and GOP presidential contender Newt Gingrich.

Santorum said "we are losing the freedom of conscience" under an administration that recently required Catholic institutions to cover contraception for employees, and vowed to "make this election about Barack Obama and his lousy record."

But on three issues—health care, cap-and-trade energy policy and financial-sector bailouts—Santorum strove to bind Romney and Gingrich tightly with the president. "They agree with each other and Obama," he said.

Instead of choosing a more moderate in the tradition of Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, Bob Dole or John McCain, Santorum urged the crowd to elect "someone who agrees with you."

Santorum asserted he offered the best general-election contrast with Obama, because he is on "the right side, your side, the American people's side of these issues."

Prop. 8
After his speech, Santorum went into the crowd to greet supporters and took questions from reporters, including one from Patch: What did he make of Tuesday's court decision on Proposition 8 in California?

"I'm very disappointed but I'm not surprised. That's why we need to chop of the Ninth Circuit Court," Santorum said.

The candidate seemed perplexed by arguments opposite to his.

"The idea that marriage is nothing but a bigoted institution and that there is no natural basis [for heterosexual marriage] is so—, so— ... detached [from reality]."

No Paul
Santorum made no mention in his speech of Ron Paul, who ended up a distant second to him in the rank of Minnesota caucus-goer's presidential preferences.

To a reporter's question, Santorum simply said that Paul's supporters—with their interest in issues such as the legalization of drugs—are "not my crowd."

Why Blaine
At the back of the crowd was Ron Carey, former state GOP Party chair and a Santorum supporter.

He said Blaine made a good venue for a caucus-day campaign event because Santorum had already appeared to the south of the Twin Cities, in Eden Prairie and Waconia.

Carey likened Santorum's appeal to conservative evangelical voters in the north metro area to that of Mike Huckabee, who he said "did really well" there in 2008.

"Probably a lot of people here were Mike Huckabee supporters [then]," Carey said.

Many of them, he said, also probably like U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), who represents a wide swath of the area and is seeking re-election after her own bid for president faltered. 

Carey compared Santorum with Bachmann: "Their styles are different," he said, but if either were president their policies would be quite similar.

Singer Supporter
Before Santorum's speech and his introduction by state Sen. Dave Thompson (R-Lakeville), Rick Olson of Blaine was on stage warming up the crowd with patriotic and religious songs.

Olson said he attends Gracepoint Church in New Brighton and teaches at Andover Elementary in the Anoka-Hennepin school district. He mentioned the district's recent struggles with policies related to homosexuality and said he counted himself among a number of Christians teaching at his school.

Olson said he was particularly struck by Santorum's remarks that drew a stark contrast between his positions and those of Republican rivals Gingrich and Romney.

"He didn't pull his punches," Olson said.