Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, who finished third in the Florida primary, said Tuesday night he senses an opening with the loss of former House speaker Newt Gingrich to front-runner Mitt Romney.
“Newt Gingrich had his chance, had a shot, had a big boost,” Santorum said of Gingrich’s South Carolina win, but he just “couldn't hold it, couldn't deliver in Florida.”
“I think they will be looking for a different conservative as alternative to Mitt Romney now,” Santorum said on CNN from Nevada.
Though Gingrich surged briefly after his win in South Carolina, Santorum said that he couldn’t hold his place because he became the issue.
“We can’t allow our nominee to be the big issue in the campaign,” Santorum said in his speech following the Florida primary results.
On the condition of his daughter Bella, Santorum said that she “is doing just great” and will be checked out of the hospital Wednesday. The candidate paused his campaign on Saturday when Bella, who is chronically ill with a congenital disorder, was hospitalized with a lung condition.
Santorum said that he is glad he took some time to focus on his family. “Thank God I was home,” he said.
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