Sharron Angle voices support for Rick Santorum

For what it’s worth, former Tea Party Senate candidate Sharron Angle today endorsed Rick Santorum for president:

Angle, a tea party favorite who failed in her 2010 bid to unseat Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, praised Santorum’s character in a statement released Thursday by his campaign.

“He is a strong fiscal and social conservative who stands on principles above politics,” Angle said in the release. “His continuous opposition to Amnesty, Obamacare, the bail-outs, and cap and trade are a perfect fit with our main street Tea Party movement.”

Santorum said her backing will be a “terrific boon to our campaign as the Nevada Caucus approaches.”

Angle’s words in praise of Santorum ring true — and echo the reasons Michelle Malkin cited for her support of the former Pennsylvania senator. But it’s questionable as to whether Angle’s endorsement really will be a “boon” to Santorum’s effort in the Silver State.

Remember: This is a former candidate whose horribly mismanaged campaign and subsequent loss to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid led to a severe case of GOP buyer’s remorse. This is a former candidate who toyed with the idea of running for president herself and whose rumored bid for the House of Representatives made GOPers nervous.

Then again, most endorsements strike me this way: They always carry the risk that they will turn off voters who aren’t fans of the endorser. That’s as true of a Donald Trump or Sarah Palin endorsement as a Sharron Angle endorsement. The biggest takeaway of Angle’s announcement of support for Santorum is that he’s actively campaigning in states he thinks could yield delegates for him — and, unlike Angle, his approach is very disciplined. He hasn’t descended into senseless attacks of his competitors and he’s continually stuck to the issues. If and when he takes off, the voters who’ve supported him in an early state will be able to depend on him not to implode in the very next state or the general.

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