Santorum: Kansas Win Fueled Momentum in South

Acknowledging that his support in Alabama and Mississippi took a “slight dip” following an initial barrage of negative advertising by his rivals, GOP hopeful Rick Santorum Tuesday night attributed his victories in the two Southern states to last weekend’s win in Kansas.

“We had a big win in Kansas this weekend. We thought that was a huge bump for us. I have no doubt the fact that we got over 50 percent of the vote in Kansas had a big effect on the vote here Tuesday,” the former Pennsylvania senator said in an interview with Fox News.

He said voters are looking for “someone who can go out there and reflect the values that made this country great and take it to Barack Obama and his failed policies.”

While not directly calling on former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to get out of the race, Santorum said that the voters of Mississippi and Alabama have clearly chosen him over Gingrich as the candidate best equipped to challenge former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for the GOP nomination.

“It’s very, very clear that outside of Speaker Gingrich’s backyard, if you will, we’re the candidate that’s taking it to Mitt Romney,” Santorum declared. “We’re winning states all over the country and I think the folks here in Alabama and Mississippi are seeing that. And they want a conservative nominee. I think that’s what it’s really coming down to. They want a conservative nominee.”

He said Romney’s attacks on his record simply do not ring true.

“Gov. Romney has a problem not only with his policies but telling the truth about what his policies did and what positions he held. I can understand. He changes his positions a lot, so it’s hard to keep track,” Santorum said. “For me, I know what my positions are. I’ve had them and I’ve stood by them and that’s what the people in Alabama and Mississippi like.”