Some Ohio Republican Primary Voters Pick Rick Santorum in Hopes For a GOP Brokered Convention

Impact

Speaking with fellow conservatives, we deplore the choice of candidates we’ve been offered by the Republican Party in the 2012 presidential election. We are still considering casting our votes for Newt Gingrich in the hopes of securing a brokered convention. Those of us who are not considering pushing for a brokered convention swing like the rest of Ohio between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.

For us as social conservatives, Santorum is incredibly appealing, but as pragmatists, we have to ask if the guy in the sweater vest can really command the United States armed forces, and does he really stand a chance against the Obama political machine when he can’t even manage to be eligible to receive delegates from all of Ohio’s congressional districts?

The media coverage I’ve seen in Youngstown is all about bringing jobs back to the Valley — part of the “Rust Belt,” revitalizing Ohio’s economy is of key importance to voters. Additionally, one of the largest employers in the area is a GM plant — Romney’s appeal to let the auto manufacturing giant fail while supporting bank bailouts has not gone over well with the folks here.

As always, Ohio is torn. Will the agrarian and conservative interests of the state prevail or will those who are desperate for economic revitalization win the day? As far as Super Tuesday goes, it seems to me that the winner might just be Santorum. Romney might promise good economics, but anybody here who’s voting in the Republican primary won’t trust his moneyed status. But, really, we’re all holding out hope for a brokered convention.

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore