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Santorum may try Iowa caucus in presidential bid
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WASHINGTON -- Though he has not officially declared, former Sen. Rick Santorum is wading into the 2012 presidential race with more gusto than many of his bigger-name potential rivals.
And in the crucial state of Iowa -- site of the kickoff caucus vote of the primary season -- Mr. Santorum has picked up two high-profile political strategists to help him out. Mr. Santorum announced Friday that Nick Ryan and Jill Latham of the Concordia Group in Des Moines will be advising his political action committee as he explores a presidential run.
Also, Mr. Santorum's media strategist, John Brabender, said the Republican will likely announce the hire of a well-known national political consultant this week.
Both Mr. Ryan and Ms. Latham have ties to another likely 2012 candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Ms. Latham was Iowa political director for Mr. Romney's 2008 presidential campaign and Mr. Ryan is the founder of the American Future Fund conservative advocacy group, which has close ties with Mr. Romney. Ms. Latham also is the daughter of ninth-term Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa.
Iowa State University political science professor Steffen Schmidt said the hires are a sign that Mr. Santorum is serious about contending in the Hawkeye State. He said it's also a sign that Mr. Romney is probably not going to campaign in Iowa, focusing his efforts instead on the friendlier New Hampshire primary.
"The secret in Iowa is if you think you want to play, you've got to get in there early, especially when the field is going to be huge," Mr. Schmidt said.
"And you have got to find people who know Iowa, who know the caucus system, who have connections. ... And there's a limited number of, let's call them savvy people. And Nick Ryan and Jill Latham, they have some experience and they have a good connection to the system, so they can help him quite a lot."
If Mr. Santorum can get the American Future Fund on his side, it would pay considerable dividends in money and influence. According to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics, AFF spent nearly $10 million on the 2010 elections in donations and outside advocacy, primarily in ads attacking Democrats.
According to Mr. Santorum's media strategist, John Brabender, Mr. Ryan invited Mr. Santorum to speak at an AFF event in Dubuque, Iowa, in October 2009, before a presidential run was on Mr. Santorum's radar, and the two have kept in touch since then as Mr. Santorum warmed to the White House idea.
Mr. Santorum has visited the state a total of nine times since that first trip in 2009. He has met publicly and privately with influential Republicans and campaigned for several candidates in the 2010 elections.
"Senator Santorum is a full-spectrum conservative who has a demonstrated ability to motivate conservatives and Republicans," Mr. Ryan said in a statement. "I am honored to help him continue the work he has started in Iowa by helping so many conservatives get elected this past November."
In addition to his Iowa hires, Mr. Santorum has retained veteran campaigner Mike Biundo as his state director and well-connected Clara Monier as an adviser in New Hampshire, host of the first presidential primary election of 2012.
Mr. Santorum, formerly of Penn Hills, served two terms in the U.S. Senate before losing to Democrat Bob Casey in 2006. The 18-point defeat, the biggest rout for a sitting senator since 1980, has been Mr. Santorum's biggest political drawback as he considers the presidency. But his hard-right stances on social issues can galvanize Republican primary voters in conservative states like Iowa and South Carolina that play big roles in the presidential nominating process. And Mr. Santorum, who contributes on Fox News and runs his PAC, among other projects, has been a frequent visitor to those key states.
But he still has a steep climb. Mr. Schmidt said the repeated visits from Mr. Santorum generated little buzz, but when former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and tea party favorite Rep. Michele Bachmann, of Minnesota, showed up, they were lavished with attention.
First Published January 31, 2011 12:00 am
