Second-place Santorum rallies supporters in Gettysburg

Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum rallied fans in Gettysburg after coming in second place in the Illinois primary.

Many of those supporters are still flush with surprise that Santorum has made such a comeback in the Republican presidential race. Chelsea Loughner, a Pittsburgh native and a Gettysburg College freshman, has her nose in a book as she waits for Santorum to arrive.She says she’s shocked Santorum has made it this far.”He was just a hometown boy from back home,” said Loughner, “and then he actually ended up becoming successful.” But Linn Eichelberger called it early. He wears a navy blue sweater vest with “Rick Santorum” embroidered on the front, and says he’s always been rooting for his sweater’s namesake — since the first Republican candidate debates.”He was way down on the end,” said Eichelberger. “You know, he was Rodney Dangerfield.  He didn’t get no respect!” Santorum had respect in spades in Gettysburg, where the loudest applause of the night came when he pitched himself as the right candidate for the Republican nomination because he’s one who wouldn’t follow public opinion, or pollsters, “or what’s on their teleprompter.  I don’t happen to have one here tonight,” he said to loud applause.He says he knows the right thing to say and do by going on gut, and says voters will do the same.

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