Santorum: Cash ≠ Love

From the Harrisburg Patriot News:

Twenty million dollars can buy a lot of things, but U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum is learning it can't buy him love.

Santorum, R-Pa., has burned through nearly $20 million and a 2-to-1 cash advantage over his Democratic challenger, state Treasurer Robert P. Casey Jr.

Santorum heads into the final three weeks of the campaign trailing Casey in the polls and now in money to spend.

"The assumption all along for this race was that Santorum's great advantage at the end of the day would be to use his financial resources to outgun Casey down the home stretch," said Chris Borick, a political science professor at Muhlenberg College in Allentown.

"Those numbers are sobering for Republicans and the Santorum campaign," Borick said, adding, "They've lost the upper hand in an important area of the campaign."

Pennsylvanians aren't stupid. All the money in the world isn't going to buy Satorum any votes when the electorate has decided that 'man on dog' Santorum is out of line with the largely moderate state.

I'm no big fan of Bob Casey, Jr. A lot of people in Pennsylvania aren't. But Santorum has acted like the Senator from Kansas instead of the Senator from a North Eastern state that voted for both Gore and Kerry. A lot of Casey's votes will be votes against Santorum, but it's still a pickup for Democrats. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Casey has more cash on hand and has raised more money in the last 90 days. Santorum is the least popular state wide official in Pennsylvania (only a 41% approval rating) and the state's Democratic standard bearer, Gov. Ed Rendell, is leading his GOP challenger by 21 points.

Santorum has spent $23.2 million over the election to raise his approval rating. Casey has spent only $14.7 million yet still leads - 46% to 41%.

Six years from now, Casey will be vulnerable (because people are voting against Santorum) unless he proves himself as a Senator but for now, I'm just glad that we'll be rid of Santorum.

Bob Casey Rick Santorum Pennsylvania Politics 2006 Election