Rick Santorum Hits Herman Cain on Same-Sex Marriage Issue

With businessman Herman Cain surging in polls at the state and national levels, some of his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination are starting to turn their fire toward him.

Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania has shown no hesitation in the debates in throwing jabs at some of his rivals. On Sunday, Santorum attacked Cain for remarks the businessman made earlier in the day on NBC's Meet the Press. During the television appearance, Cain said, if elected, he would not seek a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and would leave the issue up to the states.

That did not sit well with Santorum, a devout Catholic who is trying to rally social and religious conservatives to his campaign. Santorum took aim at two of his other rivals, as well-- Gov. Rick Perry of Texas and U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota.

"I have been a longtime advocate for states' rights, said Santorum in a statement released late on Sunday.However, I believe as Abraham Lincoln did, that states don't have the rights to legalize moral wrongs.Mr. Cain, Congresswoman Bachmann and Governor Perry all believe 50 different definitions of marriage is fine; I strongly disagree and will continue fighting for traditional marriage between one man and woman."

The Santorum camp looked to attack Cain on a number of other fronts.

"First, Herman Cain supported TARP, then he pushed a new 9 percent nationwide tax on top of income taxes, and now he's supporting the redefinition of marriage at the state level, said Hogan Gidley, the national communications director of the Santorum campaign. The more they learn, the more concerned conservatives become."