Romney, Gingrich and Santorum speak to conservatives in Pewaukee



PEWAUKEE -- For the first time in Wisconsin, Republican presidential hopeful campaign trails collided, as three of the candidates spoke to conservatives in Pewaukee Saturday, March 31st - ahead of the Wisconsin presidential primary Tuesday, April 3rd.

Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum all spoke to an overflow crowd at an event put on by the Faith and Freedom Coalition at the Country Springs Hotel and Conference Center in Pewaukee.

All three candidates spoke about religion.

"People are saying even more than 'hello,' 'I'm praying for you,'" Santorum said, regarding  how he is greeted around the country.

"There are more people in America by a huge margin who believe our rights come from  our creator, than there are people who believe that we should erase God from the American memory," Gingrich said.

Romney followed with a promise, saying: "I will restore and protect religious freedom.  We are one nation, under God and that must be maintained."

The candidates all spoke about reducing the price of gas and repealing the Affordable Health Care Act, nicknamed Obamacare by critics. Gingrich and Romney kept their attacks pointed at President Obama.

"I will repeal Obamacare. We have to repeal his anti-religious behavior. We have to repeal the czars in the White House," Gingrich said.

"Today, those rights are under attack by this administration, which is one more reason to replace this administration," Romney said.

Santorum stressed that he isn't "running as a conservative" - he "is a conservative."

One candidate was missing.  Ron Paul chose not to campaign in Wisconsin on Saturday.