Why I want Rick Santorum to win the primaries

Let's get this straight, I am not a supporter of Rick Santorum. We have nearly opposite views on pretty much every major issue. But here's why I want him to win the primaries over Mitt Romney

1) I'm a supporter of Barack Obama. I think Rick is probably the most beatable candidate of the lot, except for Newt Gingrich...maybe. As Jon Stewart points out in this clip, Sen. Santorum takes conservative positions to their end result more openly than any other candidate. His positions on birth control, abortion and marriage, while popular among social conservatives will not, I think, play well in a general election (and are also what really fuels my opposition to him). His fiscal policies, which would have much better play with moderates would, I think, get lost behind his social policy.

2) If a republican does win a general election, I want it to be a moderate one, and preferably four years from now. There are two big issues for me in this election, the economy and Iran/Israel. And I think anyone but the most moderate of conservatives, in the handling of these to issues would be unbalanced on the former and disastrously wrong on the latter. I think a moderate conservative would be especially good for the country in four years when reinvigorating the economy takes second seat to lowering the debt and the Middle East has had time to cool down. I hope a far right conservative gets elected this year, gets trounced and the Republican party realizes they need to moderate their views and elect someone like Jon Huntsman (although there are others, including the old Romney), who will be a fiscal and social conservative, but do it in a more moderate and less reactionary way.

3) I don't want the republicans to be able to blame Mitt Romney if he loses a general election. If he loses to Obama, and it looks like he might (you really can't predict these things) due to the drawn-out nature of this primary which is lowering opinions of all Republican candidates, a lot of Republicans would blame Romney for being too moderate and too Mormon (thus making my favorite Republican, Jon Huntsman, unelectable) rather than placing the blame where it really lies: Romney is likely to get pulled too far to the right in these drawn-out primary elections to be electable among moderates. He has to keep playing to the right to get more conservative primary and caucus voters, while Obama can play to the middle all he wants, because he's the lone representative of the left.

Conclusion: I dislike Mitt Romney much less than I like Rick Santorum. I think he would make a pretty good president. But I would much rather see Santorum lose than Mitt Romney win in a general election. Who knows, maybe Santorum will win and I will be begging for Romney, or maybe I will, heaven forbid, like Santorum as a President. But I really, really doubt it.