Rick Santorum Making More Moves Towards Presidential Run

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jan 5, 2011   |   5:20PM   |   Manchester, NH

It should come as no surprise to many political observers that pro-life former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum is interested in making a bid for the Republican nomination for president.

In what is believed to be a lead-in to an announcement, CNN reports today that Santorum is announcing he has hired a top strategist in the early primary state of New Hampshire to help him make inroads with voters. Santorum also has plans to visit New Hampshire, the site of the second biggest battle in the primary election campaign following Iowa.

Mike Biundo, who most recently helped Republican Frank Guinta win a campaign for mayor of Manchester, the state’s largest city, is the operative who is coming on board with Santorum in the state. Biundo will serve as the state director for “America’s Foundation,” Santorum’s political action committee.

Biundo told the Granite Status, “I have just spent the better part of the last two years talking with voters and working with grassroots activists. I can honestly say after reviewing the senator’s record and listening to him discuss where he thinks we should be as a country, what I heard on the trail and what I see in Senator Santorum’s record and vision, they match up very well.”

In making the announcement, Santorum said he’s “thrilled to have Mike a part of our team. His experience and knowledge will be invaluable in New Hampshire.”

“As I continue on this journey, it is important we determine our ability to build grassroots support and Mike will be an integral part of this process,” he said.

John Distaso of the Union Leader newspaper indicates Biundo has presidential campaign experience and worked with the New Hampshire primary-winning 1996 campaign of Pat Buchanan.

In his event next Tuesday, Santorum will appear with 2010 GOP senate candidate Ovide Lamontagne’s new political action committee. He’s already made many trips to Iowa and South Carolina.

Though the former two-term senator lost his 2006 re-election bid by 18 points, he believes he has something to offer the Republican party and Americans by running for president. His strong pro-life views make him popular with social conservative voters, though most political pundits believe pro-life Republicans will look to other candidates who they believe have a better shot of defeating pro-abortion President Barack Obama.