Obviously, I’m a fan of Rick Santorum, plus I have professional pride in having written 20 months ago that Santorum would be the man to watch (based not on my preferences, but my political analysis) — so obviously, I have a bias in favor of seeing good things for his campaign. That said, I do think it’s significant that Santorum now is beginning to earn endorsements from people outisde his regional base. Today it’s U.S. Rep.  Robert Aderholt, a solid conservative from my neck of the woods, namely Alabama. Significantly, Aderholt isn’t known primarily as a social conservative, but just a conservative, period. In endorsing Santorum, Aderholt called the Pennsylvanian “a leader with proven front-line success standing for freedom, for fiscal integrity and against Washington corruption.”

It’s also significant when writers who have endorsed other candidates spend entire columns — and very well-written and well-reasoned columns at that — to explain why Santorum would be a pretty good choice as well. But that’s what professional blogger John Hawkins has done, and it’s well worth a read.