Santorum: Wait Til the Caucus

The small conservative crowd that came to listen to Republican presidential nominee hopeful and former Pennsylvania legislator Rick Santorum Saturday in Summerville received the candidate almost like family.

"He's been real good to us," Wiley Johnson of Summerville said. "We all know him."

Since he launched his campaign, he has visited the state more than 100 times. In May 2010, Santorum stopped in during the Dorchester County Republican Party's fundraiser to help out.

"He brought the largest crowd we've ever had in a fundraiser," party Chair Carroll Duncan said. "People respect him." 

Saturday's town hall, held at Miler Country Club, was the fifth such event hosted by Congressman Tim Scott. While Scott's other town halls with Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and businessman Herman Cain pulled in about 300 attendees, less than 100 came to the Santorum event. 

Santorum joked that the low turnout might have had something to do with Clemson and South Carolina games. Even Scott had to wrap up the town hall quickly to get to the Charleston Southern game for the coin toss.

Football aside, the candidate is still trailing in the polls despite his Herculean efforts in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. But not disheartened, Santorum said his time will come with the Iowa caucus in less than two months.

"What matters right now is one state: Iowa," Santorum said. "The entire race is going to change (after Iowa)."

Currently, the field remains relatively open with . 

Saturday, Santorum said he wants to "light a spark in Iowa, fan the flames in New Hampshire and have a full-scale flame in South Carolina." And he wants that flame "white hot." 

"South Carolinians love him, but I don't know who the favorite is (with a majority of Republicans still undecided)," Duncan said. "(Undecided voters are) doing their due diligence with events like this … I like seeing that — I like seeing people have open minds."

Anecdotally, Santorum said undecided voters who come watch him often walk away with the candidate at the top of their list. 

"I'm just waiting my time," Santorum said.

At Saturday's event was Texas Gov. Rick Perry endorser State Sen. Mike Rose (R-Summerville).

"I'm very impressed with Rick Santorum. He's a great speaker and a great American," Rose said, adding that his endorsement is not written in stone. "It's a long way before the election. That's not what I plan to do (endorse another candidate) but you never say never in politics."

Unlike Perry, Santorum has received a meager slice of the South Carolina endorsements. State representatives Andy Patrick (R-Hilton Head) and Bill Herbkersman (R-Bluffton), and two other Republican leaders have endorsed him.

As many candidates tour primary states like South Carolina, the talking points usually focus on shutting down government institutions and repealing Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Santorum is one of the few to talk extensively on the social conservative issue like abortion and gay marriage.

Saturday, Santorum talked about his anti-abortion stance several times despite the anti-abortion setback Tuesday of the "personhood" amendment in conservative Mississippi.

"When you think about faith, family and freedom, you automatically think Rick Santorum," Scott said while introducing the candidate. 

At an event this summer, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich also . 

However Gingrich and Santorum are not alone in their hard stance on abortion as a key campaign issue.

"There's not anybody up on that stage who wouldn't say they're pro-life," Santorum said of his Republican rivals, though he questioned the sincerity of some, especially Cain. "It is an essential element if running to win an election." 

Santorum said a majority of Americans side with conservatives on abortion values. 

"Being pro-life is a plus for a candidate," Santorum said.

Santorum leads among his peers for his stance on abortion, according to a recent Patch Power Outsiders poll. 

While 38 percent polled said Mitt Romney would do the best job on the economy, 32 percent polled said Santorum would to the best job on abortion issues. 

Briefly, here are four other points Santorum spoke on Saturday:

• He wants to simplify the tax code to five deductions. The deductions include charities, children, pension, healthcare and housing.
• He supports the Balanced Budget Amendment.
• Instead of Obamacare, which he has vowed to repeal, Santorum wants Americans to have a health-saving account to eliminate waste and fraud in healthcare. 
• One of the few areas that Santorum supports government investment is infrastructure. No local projects, but major highways and ports.

After the town hall, Santorum , and then left to travel to the Upstate, where he will debate his GOP rivals.