Local GOP Leaders Say Santorum is a Factor Here

As Florida’s Republican primary date nears, local party leaders are saying who will win is anyone’s guess.

While most think former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is the favorite in the days leading up to the Jan. 31 election, other candidates might still surprise.

Rick Santorum’s near win in the Jan. 3 Iowa Caucus was a surprise to some local party leaders, but not to others.

Santorum, a former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, came within eight votes of winning the Iowa contest. He was not a frontrunner in the days leading up to the caucus, and he finished fourth in Tuesday's New Hampshire Primary.

FishHawk Republican Club President Chris Shalosky was surprised by Santorum’s near victory in Iowa.

“I think a lot of conservatives considered him, but didn’t count him as electable,” he wrote in an email.

Still, Shalosky thinks Santorum could be a contender in Florida.

“Polls are showing upward movement,” he said. “I was with a group of 20 or so conservatives (recently), and they treated him as a serious candidate.”

Randy Maggard, chairman of the Republican Club of Pasco County, wasn't overly surprised by Santorum's showing in Iowa.

“I don’t think anybody was shocked over it,” he said. “We’ve had a couple of turns (in the race). We’re getting used to it.”

Shirley Wood, the leader of the Pinecrest Branch of Tampa 912, has her own opinions on the race.

Speaking for herself and not the nonpartisan Tampa 912 group, she said she was surprised with how poorly Michele Bachmann did in the Iowa Caucus. Bachmann has since pulled the plug on her campaign.

Santorum’s near win in Iowa was not a shock to Wood.

“He is a constitutional conservative, which is what most conservatives are looking for,” she said. “Santorum is definitely a contender in my mind and I know many of the people I speak with are looking at him very closely as we want a true conservative and not a progressive for a candidate.”

Sandy Graves, co-vice president of the Republican Club of Central Pasco, says Santorum does stand a chance here.

“Santorum’s (near) win was not a surprise,” she wrote in an email. “He was the last one standing after all the other ‘not’ Romney and (Ron) Paul candidates fell to negative press. He is a contender if he can continue to do well in New Hampshire and South Carolina.”

While Graves said she likes Santorum, she thinks Romney is clear frontrunner.

“He seems to be the Steady Eddy,” she said, “displaying, for some reason, ‘Teflon’ skin.”

Julia Aguayo de Hassler, president of Club Politico, a Hispanic outreach of the Pasco Republican party, said she was pleased with Santorum’s showing in Iowa, but thinks people shouldn’t count former Texas Gov. Rick Perry out of the running.

“I truly believe that Rick Perry has the record to prove he is the candidate that can show how successful his government has been and how well he has managed his post,” she said. “However, I am not sure at this point if enough people will be willing to give him a second chance to prove he is the best candidate to beat Mr. Obama.”

Florida’s Republican primary takes place Jan. 31. Since Florida is a closed primary state, only registered Republicans can vote for a candidate to lead the party in November’s general election.

Both Hillsborough and Pasco counties have published sample ballots for the election. To see Hillsborough’s ballot, visit the supervisor of elections office online. Pasco’s ballot can be found here.