Outside advisers are urging him to pack up in Florida completely and not spend another minute in a state where he is cruising toward a loss. But Santorum insisted on Friday that he would return once he has readied his taxes for public release.
‘‘I’m coming back within 24 hours, and I’m here through up to Election Day,’’ Santorum told Fox News. ‘‘I’ve spent every minute here in Florida, and I’m going to work in Florida.’’
Santorum has yet to announce his schedule for Florida’s primary day. He says it was a mistake for him to remain in South Carolina on its voting day.
‘‘We can’t let grass grow,’’ he told reporters Thursday. ‘‘South Carolina Election Day was sort of a wasted day for us.’’
He pledged to continue his campaign regardless of the Florida outcome.
It’s a grim period for Santorum, who just three weeks ago was riding high on a strong finish in the Iowa caucuses; after first saying the result was a virtual tie with Romney, the Iowa GOP ultimately declared Santorum the winner. The victory was short-lived. He lost big in both New Hampshire and South Carolina.
He faced an uphill battle even before the race turned to Florida. He doesn’t have the money to spend on television ads in Florida’s expensive media markets. He couldn’t compete with the thousands-strong crowds his rivals have been drawing. And he wasn’t able to find a moment here that crystalized the rationale for his candidacy.
‘‘Other candidates tell you they need your help,’’ Santorum told Florida Republicans this week, almost pleading. ‘‘They’re lying. I really need your help.’’
But help didn’t come — at least in this state — for a candidate who is visibly exhausted and running on, at most, four hours of sleep each night.
