Republicans pitch selves to conservative gathering

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mitt Romney was ending a shaky week for him Friday with a pitch to the conservative Republican base that handed him three state losses this week and continues to be wary of him because of his past, more moderate, social views.

Three of the four Republican presidential candidates were addressing a major conservative gathering in Washington that promises to give a warmer welcome to Rick Santorum, whose triple win this week was a reminder that the race to challenge President Barack Obama in November remains far from settled.

Santorum has far less money and campaign organization than the very wealthy Romney, who has been running for president for years and dropped out of the 2008 race. But Santorum's wins in the Colorado and Minnesota caucuses this week, plus a nonbinding primary in Missouri, have raised questions once again about front-runner Romney's ability to inspire conservatives.

Romney is likely to try to reassure the conservative gathering that he represents their views and is best-positioned to beat Obama. But his past stances on issues such as abortion and health care will haunt him.

Adding to the pressure on Romney, Santorum will speak before he does to the annual Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday.

Of the Republican hopefuls, Santorum is by far the most public and emphatic about his faith, drawing on his Catholicism and deeply held views on social issues as the foundation of his conservative message.

The former Pennsylvania senator is moving to push aside fellow candidate Newt Gingrich as the top conservative in the race, which could make him a force in places like Alabama, Kansas, Oklahoma and others on the upcoming tate-by-state primary calendar.

On Friday, Santorum said he wanted to stick to substantive issues in the campaign, telling NBC's "Today" show he doesn't want to try to win the nomination "by personally attacking people." It was a shot at the large amounts of money on negative ads spent by rival campaigns and the new and powerful independent groups backing them.

The CPAC stage Friday will give Santorum a chance to sharpen a two-pronged message. He says Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, is too moderate to carry the Republican banner against Obama. And he says Gingrich, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, is too weighted down by past controversies and policy shifts.

Gingrich is also Catholic, but social issues aren't as integral to his campaign.

Rep. Ron Paul, whose libertarian leanings put him at odds with some mainstream conservatives, does not plan to attend Friday. Paul, a Baptist, mentions religion in passing as a way to make a point about liberty.

The CPAC appearances come one day before Maine's caucus results will be announced. Many Republicans expect Paul to do well there.

The far more important primaries in Michigan and Arizona follow on Feb. 28. After that comes the delegate windfall available on so-called Super Tuesday, when 10 states vote March 6.

The rising Santorum has been employing what has become a favorite rhetorical device. He fondly quotes the Declaration of Independence to stress America was a nation founded on faith and its people are "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights." He lowers his voice when he gets to "Creator," and his crowds fill it in with gusto.

Santorum scoffs at suggestions that his focus should be elsewhere in a race driven by economic issues, which promise to be the main challenge to Obama winning re-election.

"Strong families and building a strong family unit is good for the economy," Santorum says.