Santorum Rally Draws Overflow Crowd

GOP contender Rick Santorum capped a weekend of Georgia presidential politics with a spirited rally at First Redeemer Church in Cumming Sunday evening.

Santorum railed against President Obama's healthcare initiative, handling of the national debt and stances on moral and constitutional issues.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports the presence of several statewide and local lawmakers at the event:

Among those who were there: Tim Echols, chairman of the Public Service Commission, who acted as MC; Chuck Eaton, member of the PSC; Ralph Hudgens, state insurance commissioner; state Sens. David Shafer, R-Duluth, state chairman for the Santorum campaign and a native of the candidate’s hometown of Butler, Pa., Renee Unterman, R-Buford, and William Ligon, R-Brunswick; state Reps. Buzz Brockway, R-Lawrenceville, Terry Rogers, R-Clarksville, Sam Teasley, R-Marietta, Ed Setzler, R-Kennesaw, Mike Dudgeon, R-Suwanee; former state Senator Jeff Chapman of Brunswick, the new head of Peach Tea Patriots; former state lawmaker Mitch Kaye; and Niki Broun, the wife of U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, R-Athens.

In an overflow room in another building, U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall, R-Lawrenceville, watched on TV. “I’d never heard him speak, except at the debates, and he was in my hometown,” Woodall said afterwards.

Newt Gingrich also made several Georgia appearances this weekend. And Ron Paul won a Gwinnett County GOP straw poll.