Santorum Pushes Hard for Kansas; Won’t Call on Gingrich to Quit Race
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Justin Sullivan/Getty Images(LENEXA, Kan.) — Rick Santorum, fresh off a strong Super Tuesday, told reporters in Kansas that though he “wanted” Newt Gingrich out of the race, his supporters, not he, had called on the former speaker to drop out.
“I’m not saying I don’t want him to get out. If he wants to get out, I’m all for him getting out. I’m for Mitt Romney getting out. I wish President Obama would just hand me the thing, but that’s not going to happen,” he said.
The pro-Santorum PAC Red, White & Blue Wednesday morning called on Gingrich to leave the race so that the conservative-leaning candidates would stop splitting votes.
Santorum, however, insisted he had not coordinated with the group, calling on Gingrich to quit.
“If they’re doing so, they’re not doing so at my knowledge, let’s just put it that way. I’ve been very, very clear about my position on this,” he said.
Santorum accused the Romney campaign of bullying him for saying it would take an “act of God” for him to clinch the nomination.
“What won’t they resort to to try to bully their way through this race? If the guy thinks he’s now ordained by God to win, then let’s just have it out.”
Santorum hopes conservative Kansas next week will continue to add to his delegate count. Newt Gingrich announced Wednesday he would not compete in Kansas, and Mitt Romney canceled an appearance he planned in the state for Thursday.
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