HARRISBURG - Highlighting his western Pennsylvania roots, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum Monday kicked off what some see as a long shot candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012 on the steps of the Somerset County Courthouse.
Santorum paid homage to his grandfather who left Italy during the early years of the fascist dictatorship of Benito Mussolini to work in a bituminous coal mine in Somerset County.
"Our American journey started here in Somerset County," Santorum told a rally after his wife Karen made introductions.
Santorum leveled a wide range of criticisms at President Obama for his handling of the nation's economic, financial, health care and energy policies and made no mention of other GOP candidates for president.
He said the enactment of the health care reform act last year was an effort by Obama and the Democratic party to get Americans hooked on another government entitlement program.
"They want to hook you," he added. "They don't want to free you."
In another jab, the former senator said that Somerset County is mineral-rich with oil and natural gas deposits yet Obama doesn't want to access those resources to bring gasoline prices down.
Santorum joins a fluid GOP field of four officially declared candidates and more could enter the race in the weeks and months ahead.
Santorum, 53, served two terms in the Senate representing Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2007, and a Pittsburgh area U.S. House district before that. He was defeated for a third term in 2006 by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey.
Santorum has a following among the GOP's base of social conservatives voters, yet he is little known nationwide and has 2 percent support rating in an average of national polls, said Terry Madonna, Ph.D., political science professor at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster.
Santorum's challenge is to bring his poll numbers up and stay in the race for the long haul, he added.
"He is insisting as much as any one could on putting the socially conservative issues before the electorate," Dr. Madonna said.
U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-11, Hazleton, believes Santorum is ready for the fight.
"He's a tough competitor and a hard campaigner, and I certainly wouldn't count him out," Barletta said. "It will depend on the field and the issues, but you can't count anyone out."
Lackawanna County Republican Party chairman Lance Stange and a spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Tom Marino, R-10, Lycoming Twp, echoed the praise for Santorum.
"I'm happy to see the senator entering the race," Stange said. "I think all the candidates that have declared are good. I think they all can represent a different direction for country than President Obama has, and I think the American people are ready for that."
Marino spokesman Jason Fitzgerald said the congressman "has tremendous respect for Senator Santorum, and appreciates his 16 years of service to the people of Pennsylvania as a U.S. congressman and U.S. senator." "Rick Santorum is a tireless advocate for conservative principles, and the congressman wishes him well in his campaign for the presidency," Fitzgerald said.
Pennsylvania Democrats didn't offer Santorum any encouragement.
"Rick Santorum's entrance into the race and acceptance as a mainstream Republican candidate shows how far the Republican party has veered to the right," said Jim Burn, state Democratic party chairman.
Conor Foley, staff writer, contributed to this report.
Contact the writer: rswift@timesshamrock.com