Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania said the wide-open 2016 GOP presidential field would likely narrow into focus after about a few weeks of nominating contests, and that he’s not concerned about the prospect of GOP backer Foster Friess, who boosted Mr. Santorum’s candidacy in 2012, leaving him for someone else.
“There isn’t enough air in the chamber for 12 or 13 candidates to make it for a few weeks,” Mr. Santorum said on Fox Business Network. “It will narrow down in the first few weeks, in the first few primaries.”
Mr. Santorum also described Mr. Friess as a “good friend and a great supporter, and by the way, we’re building a very strong team.”
“It’s really exciting to see so many people who are encouraging us to get into this race,” Mr. Santorum said. “Foster and I are very close personal friends as well and see the world in all aspects the same. That’s the last thing I’m concerned about.”
Support from a single, deep-pocketed donor like Mr. Friess could go a long way toward helping sustain a campaign for someone like Mr. Santorum, who held his own for some time against eventual 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney despite being vastly outspent in many instances.
He said he and Mr. Friess talk a lot about how “we have to have a message that’s a unifying message — not just between the tea party and the establishment, but, you know, reaching out and bringing this country together. I think so many people are sick of the division that’s going on in this country, and they’re looking for someone with a fresh message to bring us together.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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