MYRTLE BEACH, S.C – The national media can’t seem to write enough stories about the inability of conservatives to unite behind one candidate to challenge Romney.  The entire idea is preposterous from the start.  Everyone from Jon Huntsman to Ron Paul considers themselves to be a conservative.  What we have been waiting to see is whether or not social conservatives will coalesce around a single candidate.

After a large group of the nation’s most prominent evangelical leaders decided to back Rick Santorum’s candidacy, it’s becoming clear that he is now the choice of social conservatives in the field.  If the big endorsement didn’t make it clear, Santorum showed off his ability to wow a socially conservative crowd at a prayer breakfast in Myrtle Beach on Sunday morning.

After Rick Perry’s speech to the crowd of 300 or so received polite applause, Santorum was welcomed to the state with a standing ovation.  It didn’t hurt that Ralph Reed had just said that Santorum was “the most effective, conservative, pro-family legislator of this generation.”  Santorum was also praised from the stage by Eric Metaxas, the author of two acclaimed New York Times bestselling biographies.

Metaxas also talked about how the mainstream media has tried to vilify Santorum for his beliefs.  He then reminded the crowd of how often Abraham Lincoln talked about faith and morality when he was running for office.  Metaxas then said that if Lincoln were in this race, he would “make Santorum sound like Jon Huntsman on these issues.”

Santorum made his case to the audience by saying, “We have an opportunity for South Carolina to stand behind a candidate that has consistently, courageously, and forcefully led the fight for the values that the people who are sitting in this room support – the same values that most of the people in South Carolina say they care about.”

Santorum then scanned the audience and said, “The question is whether the people of South Carolina will vote their conscience.”  He also said that a lot of people tell politicians not to compromise when they get to Washington.  Santorum then asked the crowd not to compromise when they go to the polls on Saturday.

Photo by Dan Davidson – Prezography.com