A Republican donor who spent millions backing Rick Santorum’s presidential bid said Mitt Romney needs to stick to his guns as he turns to a general-election race against President Obama.
“I had a half-hour one-on-one with Mitt Romney when he came to Jackson for a fundraiser and this is a decent, decent man,” Foster Friess said on Fox News. “I think he’s had reversals in his positions, but now it’s going to be very hard for him not to stick with those positions.”
“He’s made a pledge to repeal ObamaCare. If he goes back on that, he has to realize that the American people are counting on him now to do what he says, and I think he will,” Friess said.
Despite spending millions to aid Santorum’s candidacy, Friess said he did not push Romney to choose the former Pennsylvania senator as his running mate.
“You know, Mitt Romney,I think, is wise to kind of keep a lot of options open. There’s an unbelievable number of brilliant people out there," Friess said.
The Republican donor said Romney should consider Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) for vice president, along with other “exciting” figures in the Republican Party.
“I love the chutzpah of [New Jersey Gov. Chris] Christie, and [Florida Sen. Marco] Rubio is very polished and he loves this country, too," Friess said.
Friess said Santorum would be able to accomplish his goals without being on the ticket.
“I am pretty convinced he is going to be participating [in the election], maybe help in some of these Senate races, and you know he’s going to be helping the [Republican] ticket.”
Friess insisted there’s no bad blood between him and the Romney campaign, despite the bruising and sometimes personal attacks that were leveled against Santorum.
"At least from my standpoint, I bear no grudges against anybody, and I’m willing to help whatever I can. Rick has sort of passed the baton to us. … Now it’s up to all of us who are supporters that we have to carry the ball and make sure that his voice gets carried on into the elections.”
