Recently, former Senator Rick Santorum has picked up a few very important endorsements.  These come from conservative Christian Evangelical movement.

This is a set of voters that the GOP candidates have been courting obsessively.  Most notoriously, Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Gov. Rick Perry, and until her departure from the race Rep. Michele Bachmann.

Rick Perry has announced that he is dropping out of the race and endorsing New Gingrich.  Gingrich never really had a hope of winning those endorsements in the first place.  A born-again nee Catholic, thrice married and notoriously unkind, he doesn’t particularly appeal to the Christian fervor of the Evangelical right.

It was, in reality, a contest between Bachmann and Santorum.  And with Bachmann gone, that made Santorum the defacto candidate for the Conservative Christians of the GOP.

Why is this important?  Because this is a particularly vocal part of the GOP constituency.  With the unified support of the Evangelical movement, Santorum genuinely stands a chance (not a great chance, but it’s there) of winning the Republican nomination instead of Mitt Romney.

Which is, frankly, a good thing.  Let’s face it- no independent or moderate voter is going to cast a ballot for Rick Santorum.  A Santorum ticket practically guarantees President Obama’s reelection.  I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but…

Go Santorum!