Staff photo by Doug Strickland
Candidate for the GOP presidential nomination and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum leaves a news conference with media Wednesday, June 10, 2015, at Cumulus Media in Chattanooga, Tenn. Sen. Santorum later spoke at the Hamilton County GOP's Lincoln Day dinner at the Chattanoogan Hotel.Rick Santorum was in Chattanooga on Wednesday.
He must have heard we're the best town ever.
He was in our neck of the woods to raise money for the Hamilton County GOP. He was also around to make sure the fine folks in our state remember his face.
After all, he carried Tennessee in the primary leading to the 2012 presidential election. It was one of 11 states he won to finish second to Mitt Romney, who finished second to Barack Obama. Yep, being the first runner-up to the first runner-up is of little consolation.
These days, Santorum is at it again. His is one of the many - likely soon to be more than a dozen - names in the Republican mix for a chance to swing at Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Granted, the chance to point out Clinton's shortcomings, email cover-ups and questionable donations from some shady international bodies around the globe is an appealing enterprise.
But the fact that every registered Republican short of Ron Ramsey and Caitlyn Jenner has tossed their hat in the ring means two things:
One, that's a mighty big ring. Two, the process of finding the right Republican candidate may be the best thing that happens for Hillary.
The crowded pool of Republicans means a frantic swim toward next summer's convention. It means millions of dollars spent waging a war within a party that has become all too familiar with self-inflicted wounds.
"Fundraising is always hard especially when there are 16 options," Santorum told reporters Wednesday of the growing number of GOP candidates with their hands out. "It makes it more difficult."
Beyond the cash, it also means an internal power struggle among the leadership to strong-arm this candidate or that contender as each camp makes its pitch.
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander said last week when he stopped by here that a bigger crowd offers more ideas and "a balanced political discussion."
Well, maybe, but that seems unlikely in a political spectrum that is devoid of balanced discussions from almost any angle.
Plus, any meaningful discussion and debate are not going to alter too much of the landscape. They are all fighting for the same collection of voters who for the most part share similar macro viewpoints. So the debates most likely will be about smaller issues that are not as important to a lot of fiscal conservatives. Those discussions all too often can get heated and lead to mudslinging, which only will add ammunition to the Clinton machine next November.
And the breadth of candidates which Alexander praised seems more like a buffet of rewarmed choices than picking from a five-star menu. Sure there are a couple of names who possibly excite and a couple who hopefully will topple the Democrat's stranglehold on the White House, but the volume of names is at best a distraction.
The Republicans do not need folks saying, "Hey, why not me?" as motivation to muddy the waters. This is not Upward Politics. There is too much at stake and too many chefs wanting to be in the kitchen.
Still, Santorum believes there can be strength in numbers.
"Competition is a good thing," Santorum said. "You find out who rises, who does the best job."
Fundamentally yes, and in this case not so much.
There's an old football adage: if you have two quarterbacks, you really have none. You can have more possible presidential candidates certainly, but when you have to use the Hollywood Bowl for a debate, then it's time to cut back the herd.
In fact, the overflowing numbers start to take on an identity of their own and make you wonder the motivation.
Are some of these guys making moves to be considered for appointments down the road? Are some sticking around to add another line to the resume, with the tag of a "presidential candidate" adding another 10 grand for appearance fees?
Assuredly so.
In a perfect world, there are clear contenders who work and speak and debate to earn a spot on the party's ticket. Today's political realm is far from a perfect world, sadly.
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com and follow him on Twitter at @jgreesontfp.