LAKEWOOD – Rick Santorum picked up the endorsement of former congressman Tom Tancredo and other influential conservatives Wednesday as he prodded Coloradoans to once again “reset” the Republican presidential campaign.

Santorum, who finished third in Tuesday’s Florida primary, said he intends to stay in the campaign for the long haul, and he cast himself as the true conservative remaining in the field.

Unlike Ron Paul, who campaigned in Colorado on Tuesday without mentioning the other candidates, Santorum did not shy away from hitting at his GOP rivals.

He ramped up attacks on Florida winner Mitt Romney and runner-up Newt Gingrich, and ridiculed Gingrich for proposing to colonize the moon.

“Newt had his shot. He became the issue of the campaign. We need a candidate who will make Romney and Obama the issue of the campaign,” Santorum said.

Santorum went after Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, especially hard over the health-care mandate he created for his state, calling Romney the “author and founder” of President Barack Obama’s national health-care law.

Santorum said health care is the best issue that will distinguish Republicans from Democrats in the November election.

“Why would the people of Colorado nominate somebody from our party who would give away the defining issue of the race?” Santorum said.

Santorum’s campaign swing Wednesday gave Coloradans a taste of the retail-level politics that most voters outside Iowa or New Hampshire rarely see on the presidential level.

In the morning, he spoke at a Mexican restaurant to an audience of 150 at the Arapahoe County Republican Men’s Club, a venue more common to candidates for governor or the state Legislature. He drove away in a rented Ford F-150 pickup.

But he broke out the big guns later in the morning at Colorado Christian University, where Tancredo – a former congressman and candidate for both governor and president – offered up his endorsement.

He also picked up support from former congressman and Senate candidate Bob Schaffer and former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton.

“I believe with all my heart that what we have here is the real thing,” Tancredo said.

Romney has previously announced endorsements from former Gov. Bill Owens, former Sens. Wayne Allard and Hank Brown, and state Speaker of the House Frank McNulty.

McNulty said he had no doubt that Romney would lead Republicans back to the White House.

“Gov. Romney is a man of great character, and he is a marked difference from President Obama,” he said.

On Wednesday, Santorum cast the race in moral and nearly apocalyptic terms, saying the November election will determine whether the country becomes like Europe.

Europe is dying because its people are content to let the government take care of them instead of building and investing for themselves, he said.

“If we become like them, the world is lost,” Santorum said. “The world will go into darkness, and you will leave your children and grandchildren a country and a world that will be the end – the end of everything that our ancestors fought for.”

Colorado’s caucus next Tuesday will be Santorum’s last shot for three weeks to win another state contest because no states vote again until Feb. 28.

“You guys have an independent streak out here in Colorado. I know this. Well, show them,” Santorum said.

jhanel@durangoherald.com