Rick Santorum continues to champion
social values as the key to winning the GOP presidential nomination.
Despite polling in the single digits in
early caucus state Iowa, Santorum hit at Newt Gingrich – who is
polling at 25 percent in the state – for not putting a greater
emphasis on social issues.
Santorum, possibly the GOP presidential
field's most vocal anti-gay candidate, made his remarks during an
appearance Sunday on ABC's This
Week.
“[I]n terms of social issue,
[Gingrich], you know, has been married three times, he has two
divorces,” host Christiane Amanpour said. “He's admitted to
infidelity, should voters hold that against him? Is that relevant?”
“Oh, I think character is definitely
an issue,” Santorum answered. “You know, I think they have to
make a decision based upon the person's entire record. And certainly
character counts.”
“And I think they look at – you
know, I have been married 21 years. I have 7 children, that's a
factor that people are going to look at and should look at when it
comes to the person you're going to have to lead the country. This
is not someone who just ...”
“Is he a real conservative with the
social values that ...” Amanpour interrupted.
“I think Newt has consistently put
those in the back of the bus. He has never really been an advocate
of pushing those issues. Newt is someone who likes to get issues
that are 80 to 90 percent of the polls.”
Santorum's remarks come just days after
an anonymous Christian conservative group in Iowa launched an attack
ad against Gingrich's
claim that he's a strong proponent of family.
(Related: Ron
Paul, Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain attacked on gay marriage.)