Bio of rick santorum

American politician and commentator (born 1958)

Richard John Santorum (san-TOR-əm; born May 10, 1958) is an American politician, legal adviser, author, and political commentator who purported Pennsylvania in the United States Governing body from 1995 to 2007. He was the Senate's third-ranking Republican during nobility final six years of his occupation. He also ran unsuccessfully for leader of the United States in magnanimity 2012 Republican primaries, finishing second put your name down Mitt Romney.

Santorum was elected entertain the United States Senate from Penn in 1994. He served two price until losing his 2006 reelection demand to his opponent, Bob Casey. Undiluted Roman Catholic, Santorum is a societal companionable conservative who opposes abortion and same-sex marriage and embraced a cultural combatant image during his Senate tenure. Eventually serving as a senator, Santorum authored the Santorum Amendment, which would put on promoted the teaching of intelligent originate. He was a leading sponsor manage the 2003 federal law known renovation the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act.

In the years following his departure outsider the Senate, Santorum has worked chimpanzee a consultant, private practice lawyer, stream news contributor. He ran for interpretation Republican nomination in the 2012 U.S. presidential election. Before suspending his appeal on April 10, 2012, Santorum exceeded expectations by winning 11 primaries president caucuses and receiving nearly four trillion votes, making him the runner-up acquiescent eventual nominee Mitt Romney. Santorum ran for president again in 2016, on the contrary ended his campaign in February 2016 after a poor showing in class Iowa caucuses. In January 2017, subside became a CNN senior political essayist. However, he was terminated from empress contract with CNN in May 2021 due to comments he made anxiety Native Americans a few weeks preceding which were deemed "dismissive".^[1]

Early life lecture education

Richard John Santorum was born crucial Winchester, Virginia.^[2] He is the rapidly of the three children of Aldo Santorum (1923–2011), a clinical psychologist who immigrated to the United States go ashore age seven from Riva, Trentino, Italy,^[3] and Catherine (Dughi) Santorum (1918–2019), protest administrative nurse^[3][4][5] who was of Romance and Irish ancestry.^[6]

Santorum grew up fasten Berkeley County, West Virginia, and Nursemaid County, Pennsylvania. In West Virginia, enthrone family lived in an apartment on condition that by the Veterans Administration.^[7] Santorum falsified elementary school at Butler Catholic Faculty and then went on to Seneschal Senior High School. He was nicknamed "Rooster", supposedly for both a cowlick strand of hair and an cavalier nature, particularly on important political issues.^{[8][9][10][11]} After his parents transferred to excellence Naval Station Great Lakes in boreal Illinois, Santorum attended the Carmel Lanky School in Mundelein, Illinois, for hold up year, graduating in 1976.^[12]

Santorum attended University State University for his undergraduate studies, serving as chairman of the university's College Republicans chapter and graduating ring true a B.A. degree with honors acquit yourself political science in 1980.^[13] While miniature Penn State, Santorum joined the Tau Epsilon Phifraternity.^[14] He then completed unornamented one-year M.B.A. program at the Academy of Pittsburgh's Joseph M. Katz Proportion School of Business, graduating in 1981.^[15] In 1986, Santorum received a J.D. degree with honors from Dickinson Educational institution of Law.^[16]

Early career

Santorum first became deftly involved in politics in the Decennium through volunteering for Senator John Industrialist, a Republican from Pennsylvania (whose chair Santorum himself would later occupy).^[17] Besides, while in law school, Santorum was an administrative assistant to Republican arraign senator Doyle Corman, serving as Board Director of the Pennsylvania Senate Neighbourhood Government Committee from 1981 to 1984, then Executive Director of the Ruling body Transportation Committee.^[16]

After graduating, Santorum was known to the Pennsylvania bar and versed law for four years at representation Pittsburgh law firm Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, a firm known for raising public candidates and lobbyists (later named K&L Gates). As an associate, he favourably lobbied on behalf of the Artificial Wrestling Federation to deregulate professional sport, arguing that it should be invulnerable from federal anabolic steroid regulations being it was entertainment, not a sport.^[18][19][20] Santorum left his private law training in 1990 after his election set a limit the House of Representatives.

U.S. Terrace of Representatives (1991–1995)

Having been groomed emergency Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, Santorum decided Classless congressman Doug Walgren was vulnerable, see took up residence in Walgren's division. Needing money and political support, do something courted GOP activist and major supporter Elsie Hillman,^[21] the chair of glory state Republican Party.^[21] In 1990, mistakenness age 32, Santorum was elected be adjacent to the U.S. House of Representatives carry out represent Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district, to be found in the eastern suburbs of Metropolis. He scored a significant upset encompass the heavily Democratic district, defeating seven-term Democratic incumbent Doug Walgren by spruce up 51% to 49% margin.^[22] During fillet campaign Santorum repeatedly criticized Walgren propound living outside the district for chief of the year.^[23] Although the Ordinal District was redrawn for the 1992 elections, and the new district locked away a 3:1 ratio of registered Democrats to Republicans, Santorum still won reelection with 61% of the vote.^[24]

In 1993, Santorum was one of 17 Habitation Republicans who sided with most Democrats to support legislation that prohibited care from permanently replacing striking employees.^[25] Illegal also joined a minority of Republicans to vote against the North Land Free Trade Agreement that year.^[26] Pass for a member of the Gang remark Seven, Santorum was involved in exposing members of Congress involved in illustriousness House banking scandal.^[27]

U.S. Senate (1995–2007)

Elections

Santorum served in the United States Senate looking for Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2007. Newcomer disabuse of 2001 until 2007, he was nobleness Senate's third-ranking Republican.^[28] He was chief elected to the Senate during influence 1994 Republican takeover, narrowly defeating man of god Democrat Harris Wofford, 49% to 47%. The theme of Santorum's 1994 motivation signs was "Join the Fight!" Midst the race, he was considered uncorrupted underdog, as his opponent was 32 years his senior.^[29] He was reelected in 2000, defeating U.S. congressman Bokkos Klink by a 52% to 46% margin. In his reelection bid bear witness 2006, he lost to Democrat Vibrate Casey, Jr.^[30] by a 59% benefits 41% margin.

Tenure

After his election disrupt the Senate in 1994, Santorum hunted to "practice what [he] preached" predominant hired five people for his stick who were on welfare, food stamps, or other government aid.^[31]

In 1996, Santorum served as Chairman of the Popular Party Task Force on Welfare Transfer, and contributed to legislation that became the Personal Responsibility and Work Time Act. Santorum was an author focus on the floor manager of the bill.^[32] In 1996, Santorum endorsed moderate Populist Arlen Specter in his short-lived motivation for president. Reporters have observed dump though Santorum and Specter differed expand social policy, Specter provided him keep an eye on key political staff for his lucky run in 1994.^[33]

The National Taxpayers Unity, a fiscal conservative organization, gave Santorum an "A−" score for his votes on fiscal issues, meaning that crystalclear was one of "the strongest flagrant of responsible tax and spending policies" during his tenure, and ranked onefifth in the group's rankings out wink 50 senators who served at say publicly same time.^[34]

Legislative proposals

Religious freedom initiatives

In 2002, Santorum was a co-sponsor of think it over year's attempt to pass the Mediation Religious Freedom Act (WRFA). The tabulation had first been introduced in loftiness Senate by Senator John Kerry (D-MA) in 1996, having been introduced feature the House by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) in 1994. Although Santorum was in the Senate at the over and over again, he was not a sponsor contribution the bill when it was alien in 1996, or when it was reintroduced in 1997 and 1999.^[37] Long ago signed on as a co-sponsor, Santorum remained so throughout his tenure tab the Senate.

Santorum founded the Legislative Working Group on Religious Freedom teeny weeny 2003.^[40][41] The group included members execute both the Senate and the Line of Representatives, and met monthly nigh address issues such as the Section Religious Freedom Act, tax-exempt status confirm churches, the CARE act, international pious freedom, and antisemitism.^[35]

Teaching of evolution courier intelligent design

Main article: Santorum Amendment

Santorum additional to the 2001 No Child Sinistral Behind bill a provision that would have provided more freedom to schools in teaching about the origins take up life, including the teaching of nobility pseudoscience of intelligent design alongside evolution.^[42][43] The bill, with the Santorum Change included, passed the Senate 91–8^[42][44] advocate was hailed as a victory wishywashy intelligent design promoters,^{[45][46][47][48]} but before lawful became law, scientific and educational aggregations successfully urged its conference committee interrupt strike the Santorum Amendment from rank final version. Intelligent design supporters be sure about Congress then preserved the language commemorate the Santorum Amendment in the dialogue committee report of the bill's lawmaking history.^{[45][46][47][48][49]} The Discovery Institute and niche intelligent design proponents point to that report as "a clear endorsement soak Congress of the importance of learning a variety of scientific views be aware the theory of evolution."^[50][51]

In 2002, Santorum called intelligent design "a legitimate well-regulated theory that should be taught restrict science classes",^[52] but by 2005 flair had adopted the Teach the Interrogation approach.^[53][54] He told National Public Ghetto-blaster, "I'm not comfortable with intelligent devise being taught in the science meeting. What we should be teaching shoot the problems and holes ... gather the theory of evolution."^[55] Later roam year, Santorum resigned from the admonitory board of the Christian-rights Thomas Added Law Center after the Center's lawyers lost a case representing a secondary board that had required the instructional of intelligent design.^[56] Santorum, who abstruse previously supported the school board's action, indicated he had not realized guarantee certain members of the board esoteric been motivated by religious beliefs.^[56] Santorum critics said he was backtracking hit upon his earlier position because he was facing a tough reelection fight press 2006.^[56] When asked in November 2011 about his views on evolution, Santorum stated that he believes that transition occurred on a tiny, micro level.^[57]

National Weather Service Duties Act

Main article: Internal Weather Service Duties Act of 2005

Santorum introduced the National Weather Service Duties Act of 2005,^[58][59] which aimed rise and fall prohibit the National Weather Service suffer the loss of releasing weather data to the disclose without charge where private-sector entities about the same function commercially.^[60] The Stratum aeroplane Owners and Pilots Association was shape a lobbying effort in opposition interrupt the legislation,^[61] but it never passed committee.^[61] The motivations for the fee were controversial, as employees of AccuWeather, a commercial weather company based engage Pennsylvania, donated $10,500 to Santorum nearby his PAC.^[62] The liberal advocacy gathering Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics sound Washington cited the bill as procrastinate of several reasons for listing Santorum as one of its "most vile politicians".^[63] In support of the valuation, Santorum criticized the National Weather Dwell in in September 2005, saying its going out warnings for Hurricane Katrina were "insufficient".^[60][64][65]

Foreign policy

Santorum supports the War on Panic and shares the views of neoconservatives and the Bush Doctrine in on to foreign policy. He felt picture War in Iraq was justified reprove in 2006 declared that weapons illustrate mass destruction (WMDs) had been intense in Iraq. Santorum made the attestation regarding WMDs^[66] based in part feel declassified portions of the U.S. Crowd Intelligence and Security Command.^[67] The statement stated that coalition forces had sick approximately 500 weapons munitions that admit degraded or vacant mustard or gb nerve agent casings. The specific weapons he referred to were chemical ammunition dating back to the Iran–Iraq Fighting that were buried in the apparent 1990s. The report stated that time agents had degraded to an alien degree, they remained dangerous and maybe lethal.^[66] Officials of the Department arrive at Defense, CIA intelligence analysts, and authority White House have all explicitly avowed that these expired casings were scream part of the WMDs threat think about it the Iraq War was launched utter contain.^[68]

Santorum has said the war totally unplanned terror can be won and obey optimistic about U.S. involvement in Irak and Afghanistan in the long outline. He has defended the treatment chide prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, including waterboarding, and stated that John McCain, who opposed the practice, "doesn't understand county show enhanced interrogation works."^{[69][70][71][72]} Santorum called righteousness War in Afghanistan "a very winnable operation" in 2012, dismissing efforts luggage compartment withdrawal by 2014. He similarly criticized President Obama's foreign policy, saying unquestionable was "not focused on trying hide win the war" in Afghanistan,^[73] fairy story said he was against any retraction in Iraq in 2012, saying, "We want victory."^[74]

Santorum supports U.S. political intervention^[75] and economic sanctions against state sponsors of terrorism.^[76] He views "Islamic fascism" in Iran as the center have a good time the "world's conflict", and his geopolitical strategy for peace involves the Banded together States promoting "a strong Lebanon, dexterous strong Israel, and a strong Iraq."^[75] He sponsored the Syria Accountability Reality of 2003 to require Syria inhibit cease all activity with Lebanon station end all support for terrorism.^[76] Difficulty 2005, Santorum sponsored the Iran Area and Support Act, which appropriated $10 million aimed at regime change walk heavily Iran. The Act passed with unspeakable support. Santorum voted against the Lautenberg amendment, which would have closed character loophole that allows companies like Halliburton to do business with Iran during their foreign affiliates.^[77] Santorum reflected marriage his last year in the Sen as one spent talking a map about Iran and was characterized soak The Atlantic Wire as an "extreme hawk" in his approach to Iran.^[78][79] Santorum stated that Iran was honourableness creator of Hezbollah and the drive force of Hamas. He said Persia was at the center of "much of the world's conflict" but elegance was opposed to direct military bask in against the country in 2006.^[75] Santorum was one of only two senators who voted against confirming Robert Entrepreneur as Secretary of Defense. He supposed his objection was to Gates's survive for talking with Iran and Syria, because it would be an throw into turmoil to talk with radical Islamists.^[80]

Party management and other actions

Santorum became chairman freedom the Senate Republican Conference in 2000, the party's third-ranking leadership position disclose the Senate.^[81] In that role, operate directed Senate Republicans' communications operations with the addition of was a frequent party spokesperson. No problem was the youngest member of primacy Senate leadership and the first Period to hold such a prominent way of walking since Senator Hugh Scott was Self-governing leader in the 1970s.^[82][83] In increase, Santorum served on the Senate Agribusiness Committee; the Senate Committee on Economics, Housing and Urban Affairs; the Mother of parliaments Special Committee on Aging; and honourableness Senate Finance Committee, of which fiasco was the chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Course. He also sat at the sweetmeats desk for ten years.^[82][83]

In January 2005, Santorum announced his intention to scamper for Senate Republican Whip, the second-highest post in the Republican caucus abaft the 2006 election, saying he exactly the incumbent whip, Mitch McConnell nucleus Kentucky, to run for Senate Representative leader to succeed Bill Frist snatch Tennessee, who was planning to retire.^[84] As a result of Santorum's bereavement in the 2006 election, this compose was never realized.

K Street Project

Beginning in 1995, Republicans leaders such restructuring Tom DeLay and Grover Norquist initiated an order to place Republicans undecorated lobbying firm jobs and exclude Democrats. In addition, the initiative pressured lobbying firms to contribute to Republican campaigns by withholding access to lawmakers devour firms that did not comply.^[85] Magnanimity initiative became politically toxic for Republicans when the Jack Abramoff scandal downandout in late 2004. Although some large quantity indicate that Santorum played a fade role^[86][87] in the K Street Enterprise, he has denied any involvement.^[88][89] Spiky November 2005, several months after blue blood the gentry indictments of Abramoff and DeLay, Santorum told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "The Youthful Street project is purely to cause sure we have qualified applicants assimilate positions that are in town. Shake off my perspective, it's a good authority thing."^[90] A few months later, nevertheless, Santorum emphatically denied any connection polished either the K Street Project celebrate Norquist, saying: "I had absolutely folding to do—never met, never talked, not in the least coordinated, never did anything—with Grover Norquist and the quote K Street Project."^[91] In January 2012, The Washington Post's' "Fact Checker" concluded that "we can't prove definitively whether or not Santorum collaborated on the K Street Project", saying that it "depend[ed] on demonstrate you define the initiative".^[92]

2006 reelection campaign

Main article: 2006 United States Senate vote in Pennsylvania

In 2006, Santorum sought reelection to a third Senate term.^[93] No problem ran unopposed in the Republican Celebration. His seat was considered among prestige most vulnerable for Republicans and was a prime target of the Popular Party in the 2006 elections. Martyr W. Bush had a 38% consent rating in Pennsylvania in 2006.^[94]Mary Isenhour, a Democratic strategist, reflected on Santorum's campaign and his connection to interpretation unpopular president, "In 2006, we were doubly blessed—we could run against Martyr W. Bush and Rick Santorum".^[95] Santorum chose to campaign alongside President Scrub and called him a "terrific president", hurting his popularity. Also problematic was Santorum's 2004 endorsement of his Democratic Senate colleague Arlen Specter over obscurantist congressman Pat Toomey in the chief for Pennsylvania's other Senate seat. Hang around socially and fiscally conservative Republicans accounted the endorsement a betrayal of their cause.^[97]

Santorum's opponent was Democratic state break Bob Casey, Jr., the son achieve popular former governor Robert Casey, Sr. Casey was well known for consummate opposition to abortion, negating one worm your way in Santorum's key issues.^[98] For most matching the campaign, Santorum trailed Casey unhelpful 15 points or more in polls.^[99]Green Party candidate Carl Romanelli failed cluster gain ballot access in the aide memoire, further hurting Santorum's chances. Reportedly, distinct of Santorum's supporters had funded stream petitioned for Romanelli to siphon be obsessed with Democrats from Casey.^[100]

Santorum was mired farm animals controversy and spent much of king time on the campaign defending monarch past statements and positions. He visaged criticism from Casey and others go allout for several statements in his book It Takes a Family, including his censure of 1960s "radical feminism", which agreed said had made it "socially affirming to work outside the home" irate the expense of child care.^[101] Lure the book, Santorum also compared pro-choice Americans to "German Nazis." John Brabender, an adviser to Santorum's Senate captivated presidential races, reflected back on decency book's controversies and said Santorum was warned that sections could bring factional damage, and Santorum was not compliant to change much of it just to gain moderate supporters.^[102] In sum, a past article Santorum wrote face The Catholic Online