Chairs Rick Santorum’s Florida campaign
Presidential candidate Rick Santorum picks the 35-year-old Sarasota entrepreneur to be the chairman of his campaign in Florida. This is the first time Biter has committed himself so deeply to any candidate:
After I heard him speak in Sarasota, I felt I had to get involved
Biter says Santorum’s pro-family and socially conservative perspective fits perfectly with his views and he has become one of Santorum’s top fund-raisers in Florida.
Being the Florida campaign manager for Rick Santorum was an amazing experience. First of all, I learned how someone can be and how the press can portray somebody completely different. To watch someone speak for an hour and a half and give great ideas and great ways to change the country through everyone’s lives from the richest to the poorest. And then for the newspaper to write, “Rick Santorum hates gays.” WHAT? It was just amazing how they twisted things. To really be a close part of a national campaign, to see how it was run, was very exciting.
Claims he would have defeated Obama
Santorum gives an interview to Time about how he would have defeated Obama in 2012 had he won the GOP nomination, and the themes of his 2016 presidential run.
I would have been able to attract the voters in the states that mattered. Romney would probably do better than me in New Jersey and California and New York. But I’d do better in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Virginia—in the states that were going to decide the election. Look at how we did in Ohio in the primary. We got outspent by huge amounts. I didn’t run a single ad in the Cleveland market, and we still almost beat him in Ohio.
Wouldn’t attend gay wedding
Santorum gives an interview to The Hugh Hewitt Show. He talked about whether he would attend a gay wedding.
No, I would not…It would be a violation of my faith. I would love them and support them, but I would not participate in that ceremony.
Criticizes Fox News debate rules
Santorum denounces the rules set by Fox News for its Republican presidential primary debate to allow participation of only ten candidates polling the highest in national surveys.
I’m someone who believes that we should have an inclusive process. If you’re a United States senator, if you’re a governor, if you’re a woman who ran a Fortune 500 company and you’re running a legitimate campaign for president, then you should have the right to be on stage with everyone else.
He also questions the legitimacy of national polls.
The idea that someone at 1.15% is in and someone at 1.14% is out, that to me is not a rational way, particularly given the fact that they’re using national polls, which isn’t a legitimate way in my opinion to determine the viability of the candidate.
Memorial Day message
Santorum tweets Memorial Day message
Remembering our fallen heroes this #MemorialDay. America stands because of their brave fight for freedom.
— Rick Santorum (@RickSantorum) May 24, 2015
Presidential run announcement expected
In a fundraising email, Santorum acknowledges a tough road ahead — but also signals he is likely to take another stab.
If I announce a campaign for president tomorrow, I’m really going to have an uphill battle ahead of me. The GOP field is already crowded, and it’s extremely competitive.
In his fundraising email, he says he will need to gain instant traction or else be left behind in the dash for money. He will also need to show movement in the polls in order to gain a place on stage in the debates, which are likely to use size of support as a threshold.
Not chosen for GOP debate
Perry, Santorum, Jindal, Fiorina, Graham, Pataki and Gilmore will not appear in the GOP presidential debate in Cleveland, OH. They are below the threshold set by the average of of five recent national polls to calculate the top 10 candidates.