CrosswordNewsletters
DAILY BEAST
ALL
  • Cheat Sheet
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Entertainment
  • Media
  • Innovation
  • Opinion
  • World
  • U.S. News
  • Scouted
  • Travel
CHEAT SHEET
    POLITICS
    • Fever Dreams
    • Biden World
    • Elections
    • Opinion
    • National Security
    • Congress
    • Pay Dirt
    • The New Abnormal
    • Right Richter
    • Trumpland
    MEDIA
    • Confider
    • Daytime Talk
    • Late-Night
    • Fox News
    U.S. NEWS
    • Identities
    • Crime
    • Race
    • LGBT
    • Extremism
    • Coronavirus
    WORLD
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • China
    • Middle East
    INNOVATION
    • Science
    TRAVEL
      ENTERTAINMENT
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Music
      • Comedy
      • Sports
      • Sex
      • TDBs Obsessed
      • Awards Shows
      • The Last Laugh
      FOOD & BEVERAGE
        CULTURE
        • Power Trip
        • Fashion
        • Books
        • Royalist
        TECH
        • Disinformation
        SCOUTED
        • Face Masks
        • Clothing
        • Technology
        • Bedroom
        • Kitchen
        • Home
        • Fitness
        • The Case For
        • I'm Looking For
        • New Kids On the Block
        COUPONS
        • Adidas Promo Codes
        • DoorDash Promo Codes
        • H&M Coupons
        • Hotwire Promo Codes
        • Wine.com Discounts
        • Vitacost Coupons
        • Spanx Promo Codes
        • StubHub Promo Codes
        Products
        NewslettersPodcastsCrosswordsSubscription
        FOLLOW US
        GOT A TIP?

        SEARCH

        HOMEPAGE

        Duggar Family: We’ll Support Mitt Romney in November

        Onward

        Jim Bob Duggar tells The Daily Beast that his clan will vote for Romney if he wins the GOP nomination.

        David Sessions

        Updated Jul. 13, 2017 2:16PM ET / Published Apr. 11, 2012 4:24PM ET 

        Emmanuel Dunand, AFP / GettyImages ; Kris Connor, WireImage / Getty Images

        When he dropped out of the GOP presidential race Tuesday, Rick Santorum thanked a litany of people he’d met on the campaign trail, including the Duggar family, the stars of the TLC reality show 19 Kids & Counting, who Santorum said “gave their time and energy because they believed in the basic importance of having strong families as part of a strong country.”

        In response, Jim Bob Duggar, the father of the clan—who campaigned for Santorum—released a statement calling him a “true American hero,” and saying that he and his family “loved getting to know Rick and Karen Santorum and their sweet family. They are the real deal! This race and effort was not in vain.” Like Santorum, he urged conservatives to unite against Barack Obama, but stopped short of endorsing Mitt Romney.

        In an interview with The Daily Beast, Jim Bob Duggar said his family hasn’t quite given up on Santorum. “We’ll go ahead and give him a vote,” Duggar said. “[We] wouldn’t be surprised if Rick won a few states even though he’s out. If Newt would have dropped out before Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin, Rick would have won.”

        It’s pretty safe to say Santorum won’t be making a beyond-the-grave comeback, and the Duggars have reconciled themselves with Romney’s seemingly inevitable ascent. “If he ends up being the Republican nominee, we will support him in the general over President Obama,” Duggar said. “Romney has stated a lot of conservative positions that we agree on, [but it’s] important for the voters to hold him accountable and make sure he doesn’t drift back toward the left.”

        Duggar served as a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1999 to 2002, and in 2008 he and his wife endorsed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee during his failed bid for the GOP nomination.

        In 2012 the Duggars were so committed to Santorum that they hit the trail for him in Illinois, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and Alabama. But they don't anticipate turning out in the same way for Romney if he wins the nomination. “As far as campaigning, [Romney’s] got his staff in place,” Jim Bob said. “Santorum was running this on a shoestring budget. Mitt has the budget, and I think he’s got his whole campaign placed.”

        Interview by Allison Yarrow.

        READ THIS LIST

        DAILY BEAST
        • Cheat Sheet
        • Politics
        • Crime
        • Entertainment
        • Media
        • World
        • Innovation
        • U.S. News
        • Scouted
        • Travel
        • Subscription
        • Crossword
        • Newsletters
        • Podcasts
        • About
        • Contact
        • Tips
        • Jobs
        • Advertise
        • Help
        • Privacy
        • Code of Ethics & Standards
        • Diversity
        • Terms & Conditions
        • Copyright & Trademark
        • Sitemap
        • Coupons:
        • Coupons:
        • Vistaprint Coupons
        • Samsung Promo Coupons
        • Home Depot Coupons
        • Office Depot Coupons
        • eBay Coupons
        • Ashley Furniture Promo Codes
        © 2022 The Daily Beast Company LLC