On April 10, former Pennsylvania senator and Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum announced from Gettysburg, Penn., that he would suspend his campaign for the Republican presidential candidate nomination. This sets up the “inevitable” general election in November between former Massachusetts Governor Willard Mitt Romney and sitting President Barack Hussein Obama. Regardless of what the Electoral College decides later this year, I am already looking forward to 2016 election cycle.
As you know I am a politics fiend.
So the possibility of a Vice President Joseph Biden v. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton v. Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo v. Governor of Maryland Martin O’Mally v. (dare I say) Senior Senator from the Great State of Florida Bill Nelson (v., if Mr. Obama loses in 2012, Obama,) v. Representative from Florida and Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Shultz v. those who are yet to come into the countrywide spotlight, squaring off for the Democratic Party Nomination is exciting.
That combined with Santorum banging heads with former Governor of Florida Jeb Bush, Florida’s Junior Senator Marco Rubio, Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie, (if Mitt Romney loses in November, Mitt—remember Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson was twice a party’s nomination for President in 1952 & ’56) and those who are yet to be named for the Republican Party nomination has me salivating.
But as we stroll down memory lane, should Santorum seek the nomination again in the near future, he should become the “inevitable” candidate. Why? Typically, since 1968 (the late ’60s gave birth to the current political situation), when a Republican loses a nomination election he goes on to carry the torch in a later election cycle.
Romney is now, in 2012, the Republican “nom-e-ney,” however if you were not paying attention four years ago, Mitt lost to Arizona Senator John McCain during the 2008 election cycle. McCain, who ran against Obama in 2008, lost the 2000 nomination to then Governor of Texas George W. Bush.
Former Kansas Senator Bob Dole, who ran unsuccessfully against President Bill Clinton in 1996, lost the 1988 Republican nomination to then-Vice President George H.W. Bush. Bush lost the 1980 bid to the former Governor of California Ronald Reagan.
Reagan, who won in 1980 against a peanut farmer from Georgia, lost bids to the Republican nomination in 1976 to then President Gerald Ford who in turn lost the General Election to then Governor of Georgia Jimmy Carter, and in the pivotal year of 1968 to former Vice President Richard Nixon. Nixon did not lose the Republican nomination process in 1960, but he lost the 1960 General Election to Massachusetts’ Junior Senator John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
Reason for the History lesson?
Senator Santorum said in his speech, from the location of carnage 149 years ago, “We won more counties than anyone else in this campaign combined.” This may very well be true, and may translate that Santorum has locked down the far right Republican base and only needs to become more “moderate.” Does anybody else see a replay of what happened to Mitt Romney in the years between 2008 and 2012 possibly happening to Santorum in the years between 2012 and 2016? Can Santorum lay down a network of contacts and keep it intact, and spring into action in 2016?
If so, look out Jebby! Look out Hillary, Joe, Bill and Andrew! Look out America! Look out Earth!
