Rick Santorum: Keep Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina First

With Florida House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, saying that Florida could hold its primary on Jan. 31, Republican presidential hopeful former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania issued a statement late on Wednesday urging that Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina should hold the first presidential primaries.

"Anyone who's watched the debates realizes that even as Republicans, there are many issues we don't agree on -- but there are two things we all should agree on: Barack Obama has to go and Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina should remain first in the presidential primary process, said Santorum. These early states have the deserved reputation of testing candidates and ensuring the emergence of the strongest Republican presidential nominee. The Republican parties in the early states can count on my support to help maintain their vital role in the process. And I ask the other Republican candidates to have the courage to join me in supporting the early states.