Santorum Campaign Press Release - Over 30 National Conservative Leaders Endorse Santorum

Mt. Pleasant, SC - The Rick Santorum for President campaign is proud to announce that Rick Santorum has received the endorsement of over 30 national conservative leaders from around the country in support of his candidacy for President of the United States.

In a joint statement, conservative luminary Richard Viguerie said:

"Last week some 150 conservative leaders gathered at Nancy and Paul Pressler's ranch to discuss the Republican presidential campaign -  there was an overwhelming 75 percent consensus to support Rick Santorum for President.

 

"The group of conservative leaders named in today's release includes Dr. James Dobson, Gary Bauer, Joseph Farah, Foster Friess, Elaine Donnelly and many others representing all four segments of the new conservative coalition who are coalescing behind Rick Santorum's candidacy.

 

"I'm pleased that, so quickly after Rick Perry suspended his campaign, I was able to announce the first bloc of conservative leaders who have come forward to endorse Rick Santorum.

 

"This list of endorsers demonstrates that Rick Santorum is the best candidate to bring together social conservatives, national defense conservatives, economic conservatives and the newly energized constitutional conservatives of the Tea Party.

"Rick Santorum is the only reliable conservative left in the race.  He has a long involvement in the conservative movement, and he has demonstrated his commitment to hiring conservatives on his Senate staff and in his campaign.  On the issues of vital importance to conservatives, such as the right to life, the pro-family agenda, national security, and fighting the growth of government, he has walked with us even when the path was hard.

 

"If conservatives want a conservative, not just another establishment Republican, nominated in Tampa and elected in November it is time for us to start concentrating on consolidating that winning four-part coalition behind one candidate.  The candidate who best appeals to all four segments of the winning 2010 coalition, with the fewest negatives in November, is Rick Santorum.

 

"This is an encouraging sign that movement conservatives are finding their natural home in the Santorum campaign and are in fact coalescing behind Rick's candidacy."

 

The text of the endorsement and the list of endorsers released today follows:

"Conservatives are the largest ideological bloc in the American electorate.  In this election cycle a number of candidates with legitimate claims to conservative support have considered or sought the Republican nomination for President, but this has left the conservative vote divided, empowering those who do not share our views and values.  To defeat Barack Obama now is the time for conservatives to rally behind the most electable conservative candidate, and we believe that candidate is former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum.

"In recognition of Rick Santorum's character, judgment, and especially his commitment to institute an administration that will govern according to conservative principles, we the undersigned endorse former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum for President of the United States and pledge to advance his candidacy."

The complete list of endorsers includes:

Cathie Adams, President, Texas Eagle Forum

Gary Bauer, President, American Values

Brian Burch, President, CatholicVote.org Candidate Fund

Tim Busch, Businessman, philanthropist, and attorney

Ken Campbell, California Conservative Leader

Peggy Dau, Special Liaison Representative, Voice of the Martyrs

Penna Dexter, Radio Host and Commentator

James Dobson, Family Talk

Elaine Donnelly, Center for Military Readiness

Tim Echols, Georgia Public Service Commission

Kirk Elliott, Philanthropia, founder and chairman

William J. Estrada, Director, Generation Joshua

Joseph Farah, Editor and Chief Executive Officer, WND.com and WND Books

Robert Fischer, President, Fischer Furniture, Inc

Richard Ford, President, Heritage Alliance

Foster Friess, Friess Associates

Maggie Gallagher, Institute for Marriage and Public Policy

Michael Geer, Family Policy Leader, Harrisburg, PA

Ellen Grigsby, Conservative Leader

Rebecca Hagelin, President, Rebecca Hagelin Communications and Marketing, LLC

Patrick and Toya Hall, Vice President, Guadalupe Radio Network

Jason Jones, Producer of the film "Bella"

Tim LeFever, Chairman of the Board, Capitol Resource Institute

Brad Mattes, Executive Director, Life Issues Institute

William J. Murray, Chairman, Religious Freedom Coalition

Richard Neill, Texas Conservative Leader

Preston Noell III, President, Tradition, Family, Property, Inc.

Pam Olsen, President, Florida Prayer Network

Paul and Nancy Pressler, Justice, TX Court of App (ret)

Penny Pullen, Illinois State Representative 1977-1993, State President, Eagle Forum of Illinois

Jill Stanek, Pro-life activist and blogger

John Stemberger, Florida Family Action

Stacy Taylor, Texas Conservative Leader

Richard A. Viguerie, Chairman, ConservativeHQ.com