Santorum Has a Woman Problem

Female voters would be a tough sell in general election
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 18, 2012 9:50 AM CST
Santorum Has a Woman Problem
Rick Santorum speaks during a campaign stop Friday in Georgetown, Ohio.   (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

This was just a matter of time: Rick Santorum has been rising in the polls, but he's also making headlines with his views on women in combat (not a fan) and birth control (ditto), and for his rich backer's crack about "gals" putting aspirin between their knees. All of which leads to today's Politico story headlined, "Rick Santorum: Will women vote for him?" Short answer: It would not be a wise bet, especially in a general election.

“He constantly says things that are offensive to women,” says a former NOW president. “Regardless of whether Republican women like some of his policies, I think they’re going to be so turned off by his judgmental stand on the independence and essential rights of women that they won’t be able to vote for him.” That's countered with a rebuttal from the right, however: “I don’t think the criticism’s fair at all," says Penny Nance, president of Concerned Women for America. "I know him. I know him to be very supportive of women. I’ve known him for 20 years. He’s always been very supportive of my career." Full story here. (More Rick Santorum 2012 stories.)

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