Reality show dad backs Santorum
January 2nd, 2012
04:56 PM ET
6 years ago

Reality show dad backs Santorum

Posted by

(CNN) – Jim Bob Duggar, who stars in a reality TV show with his wife and 19 children, showed up on the Iowa campaign trail Monday for fellow dad and GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum.

"He has a proven track record. He's a proven Christian Conservative. He has always done what's right," Duggar told CNN at a campaign stop in Iowa, one day before the state's closely-watched caucuses.

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Duggar, his wife Michelle, and their children (10 boys and nine girls, all with names starting with "J") have long been featured on TV. Their most recent show, "19 Kids and Counting," appears on TLC.

Large families are something Duggar and Santorum share in common. Of the 2012 GOP candidates, Santorum has the most biological children, with seven kids. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman also has seven children, but two of them are adopted.

The Duggar family frequently talks about their Christian faith and cited Santorum's unapologetic religious beliefs as a reason for their support.

"He is somebody that goes and really just votes from his heart and votes on his convictions, votes on things based on the Constitution of the United States and the Bible. And that's the kind of man we want to support," Duggar said.

He added that 12 of his kids are now stumping for the contender. Two of his sons, he said, helped turned the family bus into a traveling advertisement for Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator who's now surging in Iowa.

"You may not agree with everything that [Santorum] has done in the past," Duggar said "But you know what, you're not going to find a perfect candidate, unless it's Jesus Christ running."

Also see:

Gingrich mulls strategy shift after Iowa

Leading Perry backers head to Iowa for final push

Bachmann: Polls not a good measure of support

Romney goes on offense
Filed under: 2012 • Iowa • Rick Santorum
soundoff (35 Responses)
  1. Dixie AZ

    What an endorsement!! The Duggar factory.

    January 2, 2012 05:00 pm at 5:00 pm |
  2. Get Real

    Hey, Ted Haggard is going to be on "Celebrity Wife Swap" (presumably with a drug addled male escort). Who is that "Reality Show Dad" backing?

    Just when you thought the GOP circus had as many clowns as it could handle...

    January 2, 2012 05:09 pm at 5:09 pm |
  3. jennifer in Houston

    Jim Bob Dugger is truly creepy, so I shall automatically disregard advice from him...

    January 2, 2012 05:10 pm at 5:10 pm |
  4. Brian

    this should seal the deal for Santorum winning the GOP primary

    January 2, 2012 05:13 pm at 5:13 pm |
  5. Donkey Party

    What, was the Octomom not availabe?

    January 2, 2012 05:14 pm at 5:14 pm |
  6. JP

    Man oh man, you can't even write this stuff.

    January 2, 2012 05:14 pm at 5:14 pm |
  7. Post American

    These folks need to learn how to use birth control. The earth is already over populated.

    January 2, 2012 05:15 pm at 5:15 pm |
  8. Lynn

    From the family that lives off all their kids (19 and counting), how can Duggar support conservatism? He needs to practice what he preaches. Living in Arkansas, the family isn't something we're proud of.

    January 2, 2012 05:15 pm at 5:15 pm |
  9. Mark

    So because Santorum has about 40% of the total number of kids the Duggar's have, they feel it appropriate to endorse him? I'm sure that's 90% of the reason why they are choosing Santorum.

    January 2, 2012 05:17 pm at 5:17 pm |
  10. steve

    Some should have done a vasectomy on this sick puppy long ago,

    January 2, 2012 05:20 pm at 5:20 pm |
  11. edog

    Please will he just stop!!!

    January 2, 2012 05:20 pm at 5:20 pm |
  12. Slightly Left of Center

    Jim Bob? Well, what do Joe Bob and Billy Bob have to say?

    January 2, 2012 05:21 pm at 5:21 pm |
  13. Dr

    Really, who cares what this guy thinks!

    January 2, 2012 05:23 pm at 5:23 pm |
  14. GI Joe

    Wow – they're breeding for the republicans to have a big Military to invade other countries in the future.

    January 2, 2012 05:29 pm at 5:29 pm |
  15. stephanie

    they are from NWA we don't want them running for public office up here because we do not want to support them and their 19 kids

    January 2, 2012 05:41 pm at 5:41 pm |
  16. Duke One

    Santorum is a big government spending establishment Senator who is proud of supporting earmarks and also supported Arlen Specter who was the 60th vote for Obamacare !! Nor does he have the executive experience, money or organization to be the GOP nominee. PERRY 2012 !!

    January 2, 2012 05:45 pm at 5:45 pm |
  17. LouAz

    Go forth and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . . and multiply . . .

    January 2, 2012 05:53 pm at 5:53 pm |
  18. Larry L

    We have 325 million people in the US... and this is the best we can do...

    January 2, 2012 05:57 pm at 5:57 pm |
  19. Balls McGhee

    the brainwashee voting for the brainwasher. this is no surprise. GOP: Keeping women barefoot and pregnant since the 1700's

    January 2, 2012 06:17 pm at 6:17 pm |
  20. SPLAT!~

    DISCLAIMER:

    These individuals are NOT from Iowa!

    January 2, 2012 06:26 pm at 6:26 pm |
  21. jom bib

    Anyone who takes this mans advice is a complete twit.

    January 2, 2012 06:40 pm at 6:40 pm |
  22. Ambrose Smith

    He endorses Santorum? Whoop de do.

    January 2, 2012 06:53 pm at 6:53 pm |
  23. Indy

    It could have been worse, at least he didn't hit rock bottom with a Perry or Bachmann endorsement.

    January 2, 2012 06:55 pm at 6:55 pm |
  24. Hap

    Isn't gluttony a sin? These people say they value life yet they keep trying to have children against the advice of their doctor. So they are taking more than their share of food, tax breaks, and other resources, not satisfied, they risk the souls (their opinion) of the unborn without regard for the risk involved. Then they want to spew their twisted values at us, wait a minute, this is a good match. Sick, just sick.

    January 2, 2012 06:59 pm at 6:59 pm |
  25. Nick-o

    I just lost 2 minutes of my life looking at this garbage article and responding to it

    January 2, 2012 07:05 pm at 7:05 pm |
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