|
 |
 |
|
Santorum plans four-day Easter holiday from campaign trail
Rick Santorum announced Wednesday that he would be stepping off the campaign trail over the Easter holiday but would resume public events next week after a four-day break.
The decision comes despite an acknowledgment that a loss in his home state of Pennsylvania would cripple his campaign.
"The Santorum for President campaign will be taking a brief break from the campaign trail so that the team has an opportunity to return to their homes and spend time with family and friends," said a statement on Santorum's website.
"The Santorum family wishes everyone a safe and blessed holiday weekend."
Devastating losses in Tuesday's Wisconsin, Maryland and District of Columbia contests have strengthened front-runner Mitt Romney's grasp on the nomination and intensified calls for his GOP rivals to clear the field so he can pivot to a general election showdown with President Obama.
The delegate count, coupled with a new poll Wednesday that showed Romney pulling ahead of Santorum in his home state of Pennsylvania, paint an increasingly bleak picture for the former senator.
Santorum conceded Tuesday that Pennsylvania was a must-win.
"We have to win here, and we plan on winning here," Santorum said to supporters at a campaign stop at a Pittsburgh-area diner, according to CNN. "As I said last night, the people of Pennsylvania know me. All of the negative attacks are, I think, going to fall on a lot of deaf ears here. We've got a strong base of support here. And we're going to work very, very hard."
But Santorum insisted he was ready to press on, potentially all the way to the convention, dismissing calls to exit the race.
"I think I've enjoyed about eight months of people saying that," Santorum said. "Everyone has been asking me, from the days I was traveling around in the truck in Iowa, to get out of the race.
"I've never been the party establishment's candidate. And that holds true to today."
Most Viewed RSS Feed »
