Politics & Government

Santorum Stops in Reston ... For Pizza

GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum visited Mamma Lucia's with staffers on Monday.

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum stopped in Reston on Monday. It was not an official campaign appearance, so there was no media, no crowd and no speeches as he slipped into North Point's restaurant for a meeting with his staffers over pizza.

"We have a house in Great Falls, so we thought we would have a little campaign meeting here," Santorum said as he departed the restaurant with leftovers. "I like the barbecue chicken pizza."

Santorum is coming off Saturday's primary victory in Louisana on Saturday.

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"It feels great," he said. "We're off to Wisconsin in the morning."

Mamma Lucia owner Greg Kahn said a Santorum staffer called the restaurant this afternoon to ask about the back room.

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At about 2:30 p.m., U.S. Secret Service arrived to check out the entrances and exits, he said.

They set the back room up for about 30 people and pre-ordered 12 pizzas, Kahn said. Santorum, his staffers and a large contingent of Secret Service arrived at 6:40 p.m. and left about 8:30.

"I absolutely welcome any candidates," said Kahn, who pointed out he turned the TV in the bar from the usual sports and cooking channels to Fox News as a nod to the visitors. "I am an Independent—I have never voted for a winning candidate—but I will vote for whomever comes by."


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