Santorum suggests Romney won’t ‘energize’ GOP base

Reporting from Salem, N.H. —  Rick Santorum had no problem taking the fight directly to Mitt Romney in a pair of New Hampshire debates. He has tended to refrain, however, from going after the front-runner (at least by name) while on the campaign trail.

There, Santorum is best known for his substance-laden, ask-me-anything town hall-style meetings.

That changed, however, when the former Pennsylvania senator spoke to a crowd of about 250 people -- at least half of them reporters and visiting high school students -- Monday at the Elks Lodge in Salem.

Unbidden, Santorum opened the session by contrasting his economic plan, including a drastic overhaul of the federal tax code, with Romney’s “timid” approach, The Massachusetts governor’s plan might “appeal to the establishment Republicans” that Romney is courting, Santorum said, “but it’s not going to work to turn the economy around.”

More importantly, he said, Republicans need a candidate who will “energize the conservative base of the country.” He drew a contrast between 2010, a GOP landslide year dominated by the fervor of the conservative tea party movement, and 2008, when President Obama was elected and many conservatives held their noses while voting for John McCain.

In a slap at Romney, Santorum said Republicans shouldn’t nominate someone who is only a slight variant of Obama. The fall campaign, Santorum said, should be about “drawing bright, bold contrasts.”

He returned to that theme during the question-and-answer portion of his appearance.

Santorum was asked whether his sometimes inflammatory remarks about gays and lesbians would put off the independent voters who will probably decide the presidential race.

He said his position, opposing discrimination against people because of their sexual orientation but not recognizing the right to matrimony, is no different than that of any other Republican presidential candidate. The only difference, he said, “is when somebody asks me a question, I answer it.” That drew a laugh and applause.

In fact, Santorum said his position on same-sex marriage is identical to Obama, who is also opposed to government sanction of gay weddings.

That said, Santorum continued, there is a place for social issues in the fall debate, including abortion, where there is sharp disagreement between the president and Santorum, a staunch opponent.

“I think we need someone who’s a stark difference from the president,” Santorum said.

mark.barabak@latimes.com