‘‘If you’re a swing voter, who are you going to believe?’’ Santorum said to a crowd packed into a hotel ballroom here on Colorado’s Western Slope. ‘‘America is not looking for well-oiled weather vanes. They are looking for leaders.’’
In Chanhassen, Minn., Paul said the state’s caucus system ‘‘rewards people who believe in something.’’
‘‘We have reason to be optimistic about not only our future, but maybe we have optimism about Tuesday’s election too,’’ Paul said with a grin as he looked out at a couple hundred people wedged into a car collector club lounge.
Paul didn’t mention President Barack Obama or any of his GOP competitors by name, diving instead into a lecture about a need to protect personal liberties, revive the gold standard, abolish the Federal Reserve and shift to a less-interventionist foreign policy.
‘‘Our problems are a lot longer than 3 years old. They’ve been going on for a long time,’’ Paul said, aiming his barbs at President Woodrow Wilson instead of Obama during an appearance in Rochester, Minn.
Paul is building off a decent base of support in Minnesota, where he drew nearly 16 percent of the 2008 vote. Organizers were holding ‘‘practice caucuses’’ during his weekend events in Minnesota. He’s banking on help from anti-war Republicans and tea party members.
Santorum, meanwhile, was heading to Minnesota late Saturday after the Nevada caucus results were announced. He planned a full day on Sunday, including a church visit and a stop at the factory that produces the sweater vests his campaign sells for $100 each to raise money.
What he lacks in organization, he is hoping to supplement with sharper criticism.
