Rick Santorum (file photo)
Polls show the Republican who won the 2012 Iowa Caucuses is near the back of the pack of 2016 candidates. Former Pennsylvaniaa Senator Rick Santorum says he’ll consider it a victory this time around if he just finishes ahead of other candidates who’ve been invited on the “main stage” at the televised debates.
“For us a showing here doesn’t have to be a first or second,” Santorum says. “I think it could be one that shows real grassroots strength and commitment from people who are going to vote for someone who’s not been given a whole lot of airtime and not been given a whole lot of attention in the race.”
Mitt Romney was declared the winner on Caucus Night four years ago by an eight-vote margin, then after the Iowa GOP conducted a canvas two weeks later of all but seven precincts, Santorum was declared the winner. He’s praising current party leaders for their approach to this year’s count.
“They are taking measures this time to make sure the vote is even more accurate and also I think they’re going to be very cautious about announcing winners and losers until it’s clear that the vote’s been certified — if it’s close,” Santorum says. “If it’s not close, obviously they don’t have to worry about that.”
There are a dozen GOP candidates in the 2016 race, twice as many as in 2012.
(Reporting by Pat Blank of Iowa Public Radio; additional reporting by Radio Iowa’s O. Kay Henderson)