Santorum endorses Cardon in Ariz. primary showdown against Flake

Former Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum has endorsed businessman Wil Cardon in his hard-fought primary for the GOP Senate nomination in Arizona, a high-profile endorsement that could counteract some of the establishment support rallying around rival Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz).

"I am pleased to announce our endorsement of Wil Cardon for the U.S. Senate in Arizona," Santorum said in a statement. "As a business owner for more than two decades, Wil has seen firsthand the crippling effects of Obamanomics and why we must solve our economic challenges with market-based solutions rather than more government intrusion. Wil is exactly what Washington, DC needs — an outsider beholden to no one other than the Arizona residents he hopes to represent."

Santorum also offered the support of Patriot Voices, the independent fundraising organization he now helms.

Santorum's endorsement comes after Sens. Jon Kyl and John McCain, both Arizona Republicans, endorsed Flake in the increasingly contentious primary. And the Club for Growth, the prominent conservative organization, also pledged to spend half a million dollars on advertisements supporting the Arizona lawmaker.

Cardon now hopes that Santorum can rally Tea Party conservatives in the state. A poll released late last month by Magellan Strategies found Flake with a 22-point lead in the primary battle, despite Cardon's million-dollar ad blitz against the six-term congressman.

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