Santorum stands with Iowa in GOP scheduling fight

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum canceled campaign events in Nevada and instead traveled to Iowa to show solidarity with Republicans trying to hold their first-in-the-nation position in the 2012 nominating process and keep from being forced to caucus on their presidential picks until Jan. 3 at the earliest.

Santorum said current Republican National Committee rules that place Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada at the front of the 2012 line, with Iowa slated to caucus in February, protects the integrity of the nominating process and helps candidates who lack money or name identification get vetted on an even-playing field by taking their ideas directly to voters for their consideration.

Santorum pointed to media accounts that suggest front-running Republican rivals are trying to game the process in hopes of squeezing Iowa so early – possibly into November or December – in hopes of “minimizing” the importance of a top Iowa finish and make it a “non-factor” in the 2012 GOP nominating process.

“I think that's what this is all about,” he told about 50 Iowans who gathered for an afternoon meet-and-greet at the Smokey Row coffeehouse.

Read more at IowaCaucus.com