Conservative commentator Ann Coulter on Monday called on Rick Santorum to exit the GOP presidential race and allow conservatives to coalesce behind Mitt Romney.
"I think it is hurting Romney and hurting our chances to take out Obama by furthering this narrative," said Coulter, a Romney backer, on "Fox and Friends." "Rick Santorum is not the most conservative candidate in the race. This is why Ron Paul keeps bird-dogging him. He's [Santorum is] a big-government conservative."
Taking shots at Santorum ahead of Tuesday's primaries in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin, Coulter referenced the former Pennsylvania senator's record with labor unions and support for the National Endowment of the Arts.
"[Pennsylvania is] a very pro-life state and very socially conservative and yet, Rick Santorum voted six times to refund the National Endowment of the Arts," Coulter said. "That’s like the bête noire of the social conservative. I mean, they’re funding photos of dead fetuses. Do you think a Bain Capital guy who is used to turning around bankrupt businesses is going to consider it a good taxpayer investment to fund bull-whips up men’s derrieres?
"And here, Rick Santorum voted for it six times, so stop telling me you’re the most conservative candidate! You were a big-government and not that much of a social conservative.”
Despite critics' calls for him to step aside, Santorum has stated his intention to push forward. While Romney expects to win Tuesday's primaries, Santorum predicted a "comfortable" win for his campaign in his home state of Pennsylvania.
“Absolutely,” Santorum told Fox News on Monday when asked if he could guarantee a victory in the Keystone State. “We feel very comfortable that the people there in the Republican primary know us.”
