"Rick is probably one of the most talented grassroots politicians from his party in a generation," said Phil English, a former Republican U.S. representative from Erie, who has tracked Santorum's career from their college days.
Early in his presidential bid, Santorum's extreme social conservatism had many pegging the 53-year-old Penn Hills resident as unelectable among moderates.
Even now, they say, he will have a tough row to hoe should he manage a strong showing in Iowa. He's outmatched financially by bigger names in the field, and his appeal may wane as the race moves on to less socially conservative states.
But Santorum has overcome tough odds before. For his first political campaign in 1990, he took on a popular, seven-term incumbent Democrat - U.S. Rep. Doug Walgren - and won. This despite the fact that his own party considered him such a long shot that it refused to donate to his campaign.
Four years later, his defeat of U.S. Sen. Harris Wofford came despite the fact that top Democratic strategists James Carville and Paul Begala were working on Wofford's behalf.
Santorum has shown remarkable commitment to the Iowa race, practically moving there with his family, visiting all of the state's 99 counties and spending hours each day in retail politicking at coffee shops and churches.
"He's got an 'aw shucks' look about him that works well in person. He's genuine," said James R. Matthews, a former Republican county commissioner in Montgomery County - one of the vote-rich suburban Pennsylvania regions sure to be courted heavily this year.
