Report: Iowa Social Conservative Leaders Trying to Decide Between Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum

Byron York is reporting that Social Conservative leaders in Iowa have narrowed their choices in the 2012 GOP Presidential Field to four candidates, and the two leading candidates are Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum. York points out that Gingrich’s recent remarks on Immigration are making it more difficult for these leaders to choose him:

WASHINGTON EXAMINER: . . . Now things are different. Gingrich’s statement Tuesday offended those conservatives who believe it amounted to an offer of amnesty, and that any amnesty creates a magnet for people to enter the United States illegally. Gingrich’s words are a particular problem in Iowa, where social conservative leaders are trying to unite behind a single candidate in their effort to stop Romney.

Those leaders have narrowed their choice to four possibilities: Gingrich, Bachmann, Perry and Rick Santorum. Of those, according to several people involved in the process, Gingrich and Santorum are the two leading candidates.

Many of the social conservatives are deeply conflicted. They want to support Santorum but worry about his continued low standing in the polls. They’re impressed by Gingrich’s rise but have some long-standing worries about his positions and background. Gingrich’s performance Tuesday night could hurt his chances at a critical time.

Rep. Steve King, an influential figure among social conservatives, says Gingrich’s statement “makes it harder” for King to support him. “I wouldn’t agree with him on that policy,” King told Iowa Public TV. “I think that when you give people even a promise that they can stay in the country after they’re here illegally, you become more of a magnet.”

If a lot of Iowa caucus-goers take King’s position, Gingrich is in trouble. . . . Read More

Looking at the polling in Iowa, Rick Santorum has started to tick up in his support over the last three weeks. If he gets an influential endorsement from someone like Steve King, he could make a late run at the Iowa Caucuses. He has campaigned in Iowa harder than anyone else, visiting every county in the state.