Decision 2012: Santorum Suspends Campaign

Rick Santorum has bowed out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination, clearing the way for Mitt Romney to start campaigning in earnest against President Barack Obama. Santorum won 11 states in primary elections but lagged far behind Romney in the delegate count.

Class discussion:Santorum's exit pleased many leaders in the Republican establishment who were wary of his campaigning for conservative social issues. Find news reports and analysis about how those social issues influence primary voters as opposed to general election voters. Can taking very conservative or very liberal stands in primaries become a liability in the general election? Or, do voters in the general election view candidates' stands in the primaries as just part of the "political game?"