How would well would Santorum Huntsman 2012 ticket do?

Rarename91

Banned
I was thinking about this the other day and was wondering if this ticket could win in 2012 and if so what would happen?
 
The Obama folks thought Huntsman was the most formidable candidate if he could have made it to the general. However, unless your VP becomes a negative issue, people vote for the top of the ticket and kind of disregard the VP.
 
Worse than Romney , around McCain vote share though broadly the same electoral map as 2012 maybe North Carolina remains Obama. It would probably further weaken the religious right as they've shown they can't win. 2016 GOP looks to Romeny figure far less room for a Trump figure to sweep in
 
Santorum would make the election a referendum on social issues, and he would lose. About the only winning issue for him would be abortion, and the people who are going to vote based on being pro-life largely vote Republican anyway.
 

CaliGuy

Banned
Santorum would make the election a referendum on social issues, and he would lose.
Yes, he would lose if he did that. However, I can't help but wonder--what if Santorum decided to make this election based on economic issues? Indeed, in such a scenario, I could see Santorum perhaps having enough appeal among working-class Whites to win Ohio. However, this won't be enough and he'll lose the election since he won't win MI, WI, and PA.
 
Santorum is a culture war guy, he just doesn't have an economic pivot in him. He also lost his last senate race by 19%. He was unelectable in Pennsylvania, never mind the country at large.
 
Obama wins in a landslide. The Tea Party types hate Santorum. He is (from their perspective) the worst of both worlds - a Bible thumper who loves welfare. They would stay home in even bigger numbers than they did for Mittens.
 
He loves welfare?

Maybe not welfare so much, but he's expressed support for protectionism and a minimum wage increase and concern about income inequality. He also opposes right to work laws. A better catchphrase might be "Democrat who doesn't like gays".
 
Eh, 88% American Conservative Union score in 2006, called the Wisconsin collective bargain protesters drug addicts. His ACU score placed him squarely in the middle of the GOP Senate caucus on economic issues, so he's not far right on that, but he's also not a populist or gettable vote for Dems.
 
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