Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania is pushing cultural issues, putting his money where his mouth is in his personal fight for social conservatism.
After his failed bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, Santorum took over as CEO of EchoLight Studios, which produces faith-based films. Santorum announced last week that EchoLight will release The Christmas Candle on Nov. 22, based on a Max Lucado novel. The film features British singer Susan Boyle in her acting debut, as well as a host of familiar Hollywood faces including Sylvester McCoy and Hans Matheson.
Surprisingly, a Christmas movie releasing for the holidays is a unique event, as there have been very few in recent years, said Santorum. This film hearkens back to the heartwarming and uplifting movies of yesteryear. The story inspires renewed hope in the miracle of Christmas and illustrates that this holiday is not just about reindeer and receiving gifts. 'The Christmas Candle' will remind audiences of the spirit and sense of wonder of the season something that is often lost in our modern era.
Our goal is to release quality entertainment with positive, uplifting messages of hope, Santorum continued. Thats what people across America and the world are looking for, including my own family. Were always searching for movies we can take the whole family to, and we think there are millions of others who share that desire.
While his focus has been on entertainment, Santorum shows no signs of heading to the political sidelines. With 2016 on the horizon, Santorum held a political rally in Tuscaloosa, Ala., last Thursday. Back in 2012, Santorum beat Mitt Romney in the Alabama primary.
Santorum spoke on Saturday at the American Conservative Unions (ACU) Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) event in St. Louis and he touched on the connections between politics and culture.
A lot of folks who have interviewed me here today and talked to me have said, you know, 'How is this that someone in politics moves into the movies?'" Santorum said. And I said, 'Well, if liberal Hollywood actors and producers can get involved in politics, then conservative politicians can get involved in Hollywood.
The position for conservatives over the past 30 years, 40 years, has been this -- defense, Santorum insisted. Trying to protect ourselves from this harmful stuff, from the violence and the sex and the values that we don't believe in. So we protect our kids, we protect ourselves, we guard our eyes. Here's the issue --we're the ones who have the truth. Why are we playing defense? They're the ones who are telling the stories. My point here today is we have to get better at telling stories.
Santorum stressed the importance of using movies and other media to push conservatism.
"The Republican Party, the conservative movement, does not have to change to win, Santorum insisted. We have to do a better job of convincing people that we understand, relate and care by sharing with them the truth through a medium in which they can understand it.
I am fully engaged, Santorum said. I am all in. I'm engaged in politics through my organization Patriot Voices. ...We're engaged in EchoLight Studios. We want to not only produce great content, distribute other people's great content and try to move the needle on this culture, but we need your help. Join us. And then go back into your communities and start fighting.
Santorum has left the door open to a second presidential bid in 2016, but a poll released last week shows little support. Public Policy Polling (PPP), a firm with connections to prominent Democrats, released a national poll of Republican primary voters that found Santorum in eighth place with 3 percent. The poll of 743 Republican primary voters was taken Sept. 25-26 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.6 percent.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com
