Rick Santorum: Social Conservatives' Choice; the Most Anti-Reagan Republican

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Byline: Edward Hudgins, SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES

With his virtual tie in the Iowa caucuses, Rick Santorum is the final flavor-of-the-week conservative alternative to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

While it might be tough for voters to decide which Republican candidate best represents the principles of Ronald Reagan, it is easy to determine who is antithetical to the Gipper's values: That opponent of liberty is Rick Santorum.

Conservative Republicans favor traditional values, seeing families and religion as essential to social order. In contrast to libertarians, they would sometimes allow government to interfere with lifestyle choices, especially concerning sexual morality. But most conservatives, like libertarians, favor individual liberty and free markets, with government strictly …