Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum — a former congressman and senator for the state of Pennsylvania — has begun drawing sharper contrasts with rival Michele Bachmann as he makes his closing case with Iowa voters.
In Saturday’s debate, Santorum said Bachmann has been “fighting and losing” battles in congress, while he won battles over issues like welfare reform. Today on the campaign trail in Iowa, Santorum cast himself as a candidate who can attract cross-over voters in the general election.
“I’ve won in a state and I’ve won in districts where you needs Democrats and independents to vote for you. Michele represents one of the most Republican districts in the state of Minnesota,” Santorum said. “It’s not like she has ever had any record of success in attracting the kind of voters we are going to need to win this election.”
Santorum served 16 years in congress, first as a member of the U.S. House, then a U.S. Senator. Bachmann was first elected to the U.S. House five years ago. “So the question is experience,” Santorum said. “I think she has a lot going for her, but we’ve gone through now a president with very limited experience and it’s not working out real well for America.”
Santorum made his comments at a campaign stop in Belle Plaine.