Focusing on Religion in the Public Square, Rick Santorum Stumps in New England

Having just made his seventh visit to New Hampshire --home of the first presidential primary --in 2010, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania continues to stump through New England as speculation grows that he intends to seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2012.

Santorum will be heading to Boston to speak on Saturday on religion in public life at the Symposium on Catholic Statesmanship sponsored by the Thomas More College of Liberal Arts. Santorums speech will be taking aim at John F. Kennedys speech to ministers in Houston back in 1960 where JFK argued that his faith would not shape his decisions in the White House.

This is somewhat familiar ground for Santorum -- he tackled the topic in a speech of his own in Houston back in September. Clearly Santorum, if he runs, will make a play for faith-based conservatives in the Republican primary, but hell have competition -- Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, Mike Pence and Newt Gingrich, among others, will be fighting for the same votes.

Santorum is working hard and his dedication is impressive. He also seems to realize the importance that doing well in Iowa and New Hampshire will have on his underdog campaign.

And while he may be speaking in Boston, the Thomas More College is based in -- you guessed it -- New Hampshire.