According to an October 28, 1990 write-up published in The Pittsburgh Press, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum once referred to himself as a “progressive conservative” within the pages of the campaign manual for his successful first run for Congress against Rep. Doug Walgren (D-PA), a description that runs counter to Santorum’s current image as a “true conservative” who has “fought for conservative values his entire life.” In that same October 28 article, Santorum refused to take a position on abortion, a stance at odds with the hardline pro-life rhetoric he espouses now.
The Pittsburgh-Post Gazette similarly quoted Santorum described himself as a “moderate on labor issues” and maintained that he supported right-to-work laws, and was also said to have “supported cuts in defense spending” and “more research into alternative energy source[s].”
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