Rick Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator and Republican presidential nominee, was hospitalized this past weekend for dehydration and a gastrointestinal illness, forcing him to cancel a scheduled trip to Iowa, The Hill reported on Sunday.
He was expected to give the keynote address at the
Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition's Annual Spring Kickoff on Monday. The Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition is a non-profit with Christian principles.
Special: Should the Supreme Court Legalize Gay Marriage? Vote in Urgent Poll.
Santorum got sick while traveling in South Carolina on Saturday, according to Virginia Davis, spokesperson for Patriot Voices, Santorum’s political action committee.
"[Santorum] is feeling better today but remains in the hospital and is unable to travel. He is expected to resume a full schedule later this week and looks forward to returning to Iowa soon," Davis said in a statement.
The former senator was scheduled to speak on the "future of the Republican Party," and "economic and social priorities," Patriotic Voices said.
Santorum was also expected to attend a luncheon on the ethical issues in biomedical research hosted by the John Paul II Medical Research Institute.
Santorum's visit to the Hawkeye State has led some to speculate about the 2016 presidential election, considering Iowa is the first caucus state in the nation.
"I’m certainly leaving the door open for that," Santorum told Newsmax TV’s Steve Malzberg earlier this month. "I’m making no commitments at this point, but we’re not doing anything inconsistent with running in 2016."
In the 2012 GOP primary, Santorum won Iowa's caucuses and finished runner up to Governor Mitt Romney.
Editor's Note: The IRS’ Worst Nightmare — How to Pay Zero Taxes
Related stories:
Rick Santorum: 'Crazy’ Kim Jong Un Could Force US Strike on North Korea
Rick Santorum Launches Conservative Group 'Patriot Voices'
Rick Santorum Questions Obama's Christian Values
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.