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Romney Campaign Press Release - Economic Lightweight Takes One on the Chin

March 21, 2012

"Senator Santorum has been trying to tell the American people that the economy isn't the real issue in this election. Last night, the people of Illinois told him that it is." —Andrea Saul, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

The People Of Illinois Overwhelmingly Disagreed With Senator Santorum's Assessment That The Economy Isn't The "Real Issue In This Election":

Santorum's Recent Comments Downplaying The Importance Of The Economy Were Not Well Received In Illinois, Where Most Primary Voters Said The Economy Was Their Top Concern. "Santorum handed Romney easy-to-load ammunition when he tried to add lift to his campaign beyond kitchen-table economics. 'We need a candidate who's going to be a fighter for freedom. Who's going to get up and make that the central theme in this race because it is the central theme in this race,' Santorum said in Illinois. 'I don't care what the unemployment rate's going to be.' ... A majority of Illinois voters on Tuesday named the economy as their top concern, according to exit polls." (Beth Reinhard, "In Illinois Primary, Romney Finally Gets A Clean Hit," National Journal, 3/20/12)

"Exit Polls Strongly Suggest That Illinois Voters Do Care About Unemployment." "Santorum later said it was a poor choice of words. And exit polls strongly suggest that Illinois voters do care about unemployment. Nearly 60 percent of Illinois residents casting ballots said the economy is the most important issue facing the country. Among those voters, Romney demolished Santorum, 49 percent to 32 percent." (Christopher Rowland, "Going Gets Tougher For Santorum As Focus Shifts North," The Boston Globe, 3/21/12)

Governor Romney Won Decisively Among Those For Whom The Economy And The Ability To Defeat President Obama Were The Top Issues. "Preliminary exit poll results showed Romney preferred by primary goers who said the economy was the top issue in the campaign, and overwhelmingly favored by those who said an ability to defeat Obama was the quality they most wanted in a nominee." (David Espo and Steve Peoples, "Romney Routs Santorum In GOP Primary In Illinois," The Associated Press, 3/20/12)

Santorum's Lack Of Experience In The Real Economy Hurt Him Among Illinois Voters — Just As It Has Across The Country:

Governor Romney Defeated Senator Santorum By More Than Fifty (50) Points Among Those Who Valued A Candidate With The Right Experience. "Roughly one in five Illinois Republican voters said that a candidate having the right experience was the most important trait for them in deciding who to vote for. Of that group, Romney won 62 percent of the vote as compared to 19 percent for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and just 8 percent for Santorum. Those results continue a pattern we've seen throughout the presidential primary process." (Chris Cillizza, "Mitt Romney's Experience Argument Is Working," The Washington Post, 3/20/12)

  • "Santorum Has Not Won 'Experience' Voters In A Single State. Not One. (Read That Again. It's Important.)" (Chris Cillizza, "Mitt Romney's Experience Argument Is Working," The Washington Post, 3/20/12)

Senator Santorum Has Shown That We Can't Afford To Nominate One Economic Lightweight To Take On Another:

The Associated Press: "Santorum Struggled To Escape Self-Created Controversies ... He Backpedaled After Saying On Monday That The Economy Wasn't The Main Issue Of The Campaign." "The primary capped a week in which the two campaigns seemed to be moving in opposition directions — Romney increasingly focused on the general election battle against Obama while Santorum struggled to escape self-created controversies. Most recently, he backpedaled after saying on Monday that the economy wasn't the main issue of the campaign. 'Occasionally you say some things where you wish you had a do-over,' he said later." (David Espo and Steve Peoples, "Romney Routs Santorum In GOP Primary In Illinois," The Associated Press, 3/20/12)

  • "[Santorum's] Defeat Came After A Week In Which His Shortcomings As A Candidate Often Overrode His Message." (Beth Reinhard, "In Illinois Primary, Romney Finally Gets A Clean Hit," National Journal, 3/20/12)

"It Has Now Become An Established Pattern For Santorum To Shoot Himself In The Foot In The Days Leading Up To A Big Primary Contest." "Santorum's inability to win a major showdown in Northern states has previously been a momentum stopper. His Illinois loss may be more than that. ... [H]is failure to capitalize on the wins in Mississippi and Alabama was due to his own lack of message discipline. It has now become an established pattern for Santorum to shoot himself in the foot in the days leading up to a big primary contest." (Jon Ward, "Mitt Romney's Illinois Primary Win Another Missed Opportunity For Rick Santorum," The Huffington Post, 3/20/12)

National Journal: "[A] Series Of Well-Publicized Gaffes ... Knocked The Former Pennsylvania Senator Off Message In Recent Days." "It was a setback for Santorum and his efforts to be seen as a viable alternative to Romney ... Tuesday's outcome, plus a series of well-publicized gaffes that knocked the former Pennsylvania senator off message in recent days, bolsters the case of Republicans who say Santorum should get out of the race and allow Romney to focus on the fall contest against President Obama." ("Romney Wins Illinois Primary," National Journal, 3/20/12)

Mitt Romney, Romney Campaign Press Release - Economic Lightweight Takes One on the Chin Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/300677

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