When then-Secretary of War John C. Calhoun ran for the presidency back in 1824, his supporters hoped for a political alliance between his native South Carolina and Pennsylvania to prevail against the Virginia-New York axis that dominated presidential elections at the start of the 19th century. While Calhoun had to settle for the vice presidency, now, almost 200 years later, one Republican presidential hopeful is looking to recreate the old alliance.

Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania is expanding his focus from Iowa to South Carolina as he continues his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Santorum raised few eyebrows with his strong showing in the Iowa straw poll in Ames earlier in the month and he claimed on Wednesday that he was gaining momentum.

"The results at the Iowa straw poll proved that our message is resonating and beginning to pick up steam,” said Santorum, who placed fourth in the Iowa straw poll. “Having been here 18 times already, I know that South Carolinians want someone who has a proven record of real results on the issues needed to defeat Barack Obama. Many candidates are pointing to their rhetoric but I'm pointing to my record on entitlement reform, moral and social issues, and national security. I can't wait to meet with more people in the Palmetto State and listen to their concerns, and share my record of results and vision for the future of the country.”

The candidate will campaign in Lake Wylie on Thursday before heading to Greenville and Spartanburg on Friday.

Santorum hopes that his stances on social issues will help his bid in the famously conservative state which has traditionally held the first presidential primary in the South. The former senator has remained in single digits in polls taken in the Palmetto State, as he has in most other states and in national surveys. The Santorum camp insists that they are gaining traction and that their strong showing in Ames has increased the pace of their fundraising.

The South Carolina Republican primary -- set up with the help of legendary Republican operative the late Lee Atwater, a native of the Palmetto State -- has proven decisive in recent years, helping to erect a firewall in the region for Atwater’s candidate George H.W. Bush in 1988 and propelling front-runners Bob Dole over Pat Buchanan in 1996 and George W. Bush over John McCain in 2000. McCain would bounce back to win South Carolina in 2008 on his way to the Republican presidential nomination.

While he may be behind in the polls, Santorum has the makings of a solid organization in South Carolina and he has won the backing of some prominent Republicans and conservatives in the state. Fresh from his battle for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2010, former Congressman Gresham Barrett is leading Santorum’s campaign in South Carolina. Businessman Bob Castellani, who is very active with the state Republicans, is directing Santorum’s finance activity in the Palmetto State with the help of Donna Martin who had been in charge of development for the state GOP.

Despite his Pennsylvania roots, Santorum played up his own connections to South Carolina on Wednesday.

“Coming to South Carolina is more like a homecoming than a campaign stop because it's become like a second home for [my] family and me,” said Santorum. “We've spent many summers here in the low country and my brother lives in the state. South Carolinians always show us some of that world-famous Southern hospitality every time we come back -- and it's always great to be here."


Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859. Kevin did his senior thesis at Trinity College on John C. Calhoun’s tenure as secretary of war and his 1824 presidential bid.