Republican Race Continues: Romney Wins Illinois, Santorum Comes in Second

The next primary will be held in Louisiana on Saturday.

The former Massachusetts's Governors victory speech was built around the theme of economic freedom. He told the crowd that "the American economy is fueled by freedom" and that "economic freedom is the only force that has lifted people out of poverty." The former Senator from Pennsylvania came in second. He spoke from Gettysburg Pennsylvania, having left Illinois earlier in the day.Santorum's message was decidedly different than Romney's. Santorum insisted that was needed most in the Nation was not a candidate who would go to Washington and "manage" the Federal Government but one who would return power to the people.

P>CHESAPEAKE, VA (Catholic Online) - In a primary race which was a foregone conclusion before the results even began to trickle in, Mitt Romney won Illinois on Tuesday, March 20, 2012. The first projection, with 7% of the vote counted, came from CNN. Wolf Blitzer declared a "huge win in Illinois" for Mitt Romney. Next to project a Romney win was NBC - and then the rest of the networks followed. 

Governor Mitt Romney was introduced by his wife Ann before his victory speech. She told the crowd that Wednesday was their 43d wedding anniversary and wished her husband a "Happy Anniversary". She thanked those who had assisted in the campaign. Her delivery was comfortable and warm. It underscored the buzz which has surrounded her increased prominence. She does communicate much more comfortably then her husband.

The former Massachusetts Governors victory speech was built around the theme of economic freedom. He spoke from a script and used a teleprompter. His message was well delivered. He told the crowd that "the American economy is fueled by freedom" and that "economic freedom is the only force that has lifted people out of poverty."  It was one of his better speeches, but still lacked the passion many observers feel is lacking from his candidacy.

He lambasted the Obama administration for an "assault on freedom". He called on America to "replace a law professor with a conservative businessman." He accused the President of "crushing the dream and the dreamers" who fuel entrepreneurship and promised he would "make sure that comes to an end."  He said "it is not the government who creates our prosperity but free markets and free people". He insisted that in the 2012 Presidential election "economic freedom will be on the ballot". "

The former Senator from Pennsylvania, Rick Santorum came in second. He spoke from Gettysburg Pennsylvania, having left Illinois earlier in the day. He said he was in his home State to kick off a campaign for that State's primary contest on April 24th. He promised what would be an important victory.

Santorum chose Gettysburg, the town where Abraham Lincoln finished his famous Gettysburg address and where a bloody battle was fought, to emphasize the theme he has made the theme of his Presidential campaign. Behind the candidate was a banner with only one word on it - FREEDOM.

He called this the "most important election since 1860", insisting that the foundational issue in the election is Freedom itself - and not just economic freedom. He congratulated the Massachusetts Governor for his victory in Illinois. He expressed pleasure that both Romney -and the Republican Party - were beginning to speak to the theme of freedom. However, he also implied that his campaign had helped to move the debate to that theme.

Santorum's message was decidedly different than Romney's. It was completely unscripted and extemporaneous. It was warm and emotional. Though he agreed with his rival that economic freedom is important - along with religious freedom - he emphasized that Freedom itself is at risk in the Nation. He insisted that the greatest risk came from a Federal Government which has trampled upon it. He insisted that the Federal Government was usurping the rightful role of a free people and building a dependency society, placing the future of freedom itself at risk.

Santorum insisted that was needed most in the Nation was not a candidate who would go to Washington and "manage" the Federal Government but one who would "pull it up by the roots". The need was to return freedom and power to the people, so they can govern themselves.

As an example, he pointed to health care, which constitutes 17% of the economy. It has now been taken over by the Federal Government under Obama's Health care Plan. Throughout the campaign Santorum has insisted that Mitt Romney and Barack Obama have similar approaches to government controlled health care. He told the crowd the solution to our health care needs is not government control. Rather, he insisted, it was their own control of their own health care. 

He told his listeners that he came to them as a son of Pennsylvania. He recalled his family's immigrant and coal mining heritage. He reminded them that he grew up with folks who worked in the mills and the coal mines. He grew up knowing that they worked so hard to make it possible for their children to have the opportunity which freedom provides and cautioned again that that very opportunity was at risk in our current National climate. 

Santorum spoke with passion. He drew a connection between those who worked in the Mills and those who died on Gettysburg's battlefields - noting that both did so to secure a future of freedom. He reminded the crowd that working people and those who sacrificed their lives in Gettysburg also understood the need to fight for what he called the "big things". He asked the Republican Party to nominate a candidate "who understands and knows in their gut" that "big things are at stake in this election."

Flanked by his wife Karen and four of their seven children, Santorum spoke of his journey to the Presidential campaign. He said that he and Karen - with seven children from adult years down to three years old - had not arrived at the decision to run easily. They concluded they had to do something to ensure that freedom endured - andthat it was was passed on to the next generation. He concluded his speech by telling a cheering crowd that he was "heading to Louisiana from here - and on to victory."

At the end of the evening, with 95% of the vote counted, Romney had won the Illinois Primary by 46.8% of the vote - followed by Santorums 35.1 % of the vote. The next primary will be held in Louisiana on Saturday.

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