Cottleville, Missouri (CNN) – Rick Santorum attracted a full auditorium of more than 300 people at St. Charles Community College here this afternoon, with an overflow crowd of more than 100 more waiting to meet the former senator in a field outside the building.
On a tele-town hall Sunday night, Santorum billed the event as an address on America's failing education system, but he used much of his speech to introduce himself to Missouri voters and position himself as the candidate best-suited to take on President Obama.
"We want someone who's going to take the high road, who's going to talk about the issues that are important to this country and quit getting down into the gutter and talking about things that have nothing to do with who should be the next President of the United States," Santorum said, continuing on a theme he introduced at CNN's debate in Jacksonville on Thursday. "I'm sick and tired of candidates who think they have to do anything that's necessary – anything to win an election."