We'll always have Bemidji: Santorum wistful about sweater vest maker in campaign wrapup

Bemidji Woolen Mills occupied a prominent spot in Rick Santorum's speech wrapping up his presidential campaign. Santorum reminisced about visiting the factory that produced so many of the vests worn by the candidate and his followers. For a time Santorum was giving a vest to any donor of $100 or more.

Author:
BMTN Staff
Updated:
Mar 8, 2018
Original:
Apr 10, 2012

Bemidji Woolen Mills occupied a prominent spot in Rick Santorum's speech wrapping up his presidential campaign. Santorum reminisced about visiting the factory that produced so many of the vests worn by the candidate and his followers. For a time Santorum was giving a vest to any donor of $100 or more.

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The Bemidji Woolen Mills just shipped the first batch to South Carolina and will begin production on a thousand more this week. Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum wore a blue sweater vest throughout much of his Iowa caucus campaign. After officially being declared the winner of Iowa last week, Santorum and his campaign staff are now calling the sweater vests a good luck charm. The Pioneer reports the former Pennsylvania Senator wanted to find an American manufacturer to produce special edition sweater vests and a member of his staff recommended the Bemidji Wollen Mills.

Bill Batchelder's loyalty to Rick Santorum was dyed in the wool. Batchelder was the only one of 40 delegates representing Minnesota to cast a vote for Santorum (33 went to Ron Paul, six to Romney) at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday. Santorum visited Batchelder's sweater factory in Bemidji last February, a trip prompted by the former Pennsylvania senator’s fondness for Batchelder’s Bemidji Woolen Mills sweater vests.

Rick Santorum's presidential campaign ordered 1,000 sweater vests from the Bemidji company and is giving them to anyone who donates $100. The company's owner says he's happy for the business but it's a little overwhelming. And he's never moved so many vests, which are usually a "back of the store" item.

The Republican presidential candidate spoke about his faith in Eden Prairie, saying the country was built from the bottom up by faithful people. In Bemidji Santorum toured the plant that makes the sweater vests that have become the trademark of his campaign.

Minnesota's leading Republican donors have contributed more to his rivals than they have to Rick Santorum's presidential campaign. Santorum supporters say it shows their candidate's strength lies in reaching grassroots conservatives, rather than party leaders.

A television ad paid for by the "Red, White, and Blue" PAC tries to link Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich with President Obama, saying they've all backed big government and bailouts. The hero of the ad, Rick Santorum, is coming to Minnesota this weekend with campaign stops in Eden Prairie and Bemidji.

The GOP presidential hopeful spoke to about 150 supporters at his first of four Wisconsin stops Friday. During the visit, KARE 11 reports Santorum referred to Republican favorite Ronald Reagan more than a dozen times. Wisconsin's primary is on April 3.

The Hill confirms, Alice Stewart is serving as Santorum's national press secretary and will travel with him. Stewart was the Minnesota congresswoman's main media contact before Bachmann dropped out of the race for the White House in January.

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