In today's
Allentown Morning Call, G. Terry Madonna and Michael Young give us a history of Rick Santorum's career and a look at his future prospects. Here's an excerpt:
The remaining question about Santorum is whether we have seen the last of him. Will this defeat be the final chapter in a 16-year epic that
saw both him and his party soar to giddy heights? Many believe his
political career is over. No Pennsylvania politician in modern times
has ever lost a Senate seat and come back to be re-elected.
Additionally, his opportunities in Pennsylvania are limited. Another
Senate seat does not come up in Pennsylvania for four years, and it is
currently held by Republican Arlen Specter. Similarly, the next
governor's race is four years away.
Some have speculated that Santorum may run for president in 2008. That belief has been fueled by his Churchillian turn to foreign policy and radical Islam during the final days of his campaign against Bob Casey. But a Santorum run seems a long shot at this point. Would any party give their presidential nomination to someone who couldn't win in his home state?
Still, if Santorum does run for president, a chilling historical
parallel will be noted: the Republican Party once actually did give its
nomination to someone who had just lost a Senate race. The nominee,
like Santorum, was a polarizing politician with strong views and a
deeply rooted ideology. The year was 1860, his name was Abraham
Lincoln, and his election kicked off the single most tempestuous period
in American history.
