Santorum Says ‘On to South Carolina’; Campaign ‘Loaded for Bear’ - East Idaho News
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Santorum Says ‘On to South Carolina’; Campaign ‘Loaded for Bear’

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GETTY P 011112 RickSantorumNH?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1326273915651T.J. Kirkpatrick/Getty Images(MANCHESTER, N.H.) — Rick Santorum had a disappointing showing in the New Hampshire primary Tuesday night, battling with Newt Gingrich for fourth place, and just cracking double digits late Tuesday evening.

Despite the result, Santorum, standing next to his wife Karen, told supporters he would keep fighting.

“On to South Carolina,” he said to a small group of journalists and supporters gathered at a restaurant in Manchester, N.H.

Late Tuesday night, Santorum and his team planned to head to the Palmetto State, where they will try to engage with an electorate that is more aligned with his socially conservative policy stances to regain the momentum he grabbed with his virtual tie with Mitt Romney in Iowa last week.

Santorum’s national communications director, Hogan Gidley, said they would dump much of the $3 million they have earned since Iowa into the Palmetto State.

“We are loaded for bear,” Gidley said after Santorum’s speech.

Santorum said he wanted to “respect the process” by coming to New Hampshire and competing there, adding that they wanted to “respect the fact that we are going to campaign in every single state, states that were good for us and states that may be a little tougher.”

He also gave Romney, the New Hampshire victor, a gracious congratulation, saying the campaign front-runner “fought hard in this state.”

“For those who would like to say this would be over in one or two states that have been, well, let’s say the backyard and the home of a certain candidate, which by the way I want to absolutely congratulate Mitt Romney on a great victory tonight,” Santorum said.  “(I’m) looking forward to engaging on the subject of issues, talking about records, how we are we going to put the best foot forward, the best person forward.”

Santorum added to cheers: “We can win this race.”

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