Ron Paul Could Use Rick Santorum Delegates in Tampa if He Released Them

Impact

Despite Rand Paul’s endorsement of Mitt Romney, his father Ron is still in the race and could use former opponent Rick Santorum’s unreleased delegates at the Republican convention. This would give Paul a stronger case against the coronation of Mitt Romney. 

However, it seems as though the upcoming Republican National Convention in Tampa is getting a little more crowded as "Santo" doesn't seem ready to hang in his sweater vest yet.

“What do I call winning eleven states? Just the beginning,” said Santorum in a video message on the website “Patriot Voices,” a blog he helped launch "to support conservative candidates for the House and the Senate in the November election."

But besides being back at promoting and protecting social conservative values such as “the sanctity of life” and “traditional marriage,” Santo also reminded the two remaining presidential candidates he still has to release the delegates he won in the Iowa and Louisiana.  

“I haven’t done anything as far as releasing anybody,” Santorum said Friday ahead of his speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Chicago, Ill. “I want to make sure that our delegates have an opportunity to come. I want to make sure they have the opportunity to experience that convention,” he added.

So, now in addition to Mitt’s coronation and “PaulFest,” we’ll also have “SantoFest.”

To be sure, Santorum reminded his audience at CPAC that he’s not interested in any sort of “power play.” So, is he or is he not running for vice president? Will he ask for a cabinet position in a hypothetical Romney (or Paul) administration? Will he release his delegates to Paul or Romney?

So far, Santo’s comeback strategy seems to copy Ron Paul’s as the socially conservative politico (who currently has 267 delegates) started emphasizing “a different approach” in which “[He] want[s] to make sure that the folks who represent the values that I did during this campaign are also able to come to that convention and have their voices heard.”

So who’s the next Republican Party “comeback kid,” Michelle Bachmann or Herman Cain? It seems as though the former candidates are clinging to any little spotlight they once enjoyed during their tumultuous presidential runs (remember when even Rick Perry was hailed as a formidable rival to Barack Obama?) to come back and reclaim their 15 minutes of fame at the Convention.

Those who expect Ron Paul to have an outstanding speaking slot in Tampa might find that the field is getting a lot more crowded. Santorum said the participation of his supporters at this summer’s convention isn’t an issue he raised with the Republican National Committee (when he recently met with chairman Reince Priebus). 

He also said he isn’t "jockeying" for a speaking slot in Tampa (which means he is jockeying for a speaking slot in Tampa).

“That’s for the RNC and Gov. Romney to decide who’s going to speak and when they’re going to speak. If I’m on the speaking list that’s great. If not, that’s fine too,” he said.

Who’s next on line, Newt Gingrich? Stop this madness now and tell Santorum to release his delegates to Ron Paul.