Santorum Visit Frustrates Some Caucus Voters

The weather may have been warm, but the luck of the Irish did not shine down on many attendees hoping to hear presidential candidate Rick Santorum at the on Saturday.

With a capacity crowd that filled the center's 118-person auditorium, close to 100 additional Republican party supporters at the Lafayette Township Committee Caucus were unable to hear Santorum speak.

"It was kind of crazy," Ballwin Mayor Tim Pogue said after Santorum's appearance.

In addition to those in attendance simply hoping to hear Santorum, several members of the Republican delegation expressed dismay over the candidate's impact on the caucus process.

"They're just all wasting our time," caucus voter and Chesterfield resident David Bonnett said.

Santorum supporter Sarah Whitter of Ballwin, who was among the crowd outside the Police and Court Center, said she came in large part to hear Santorum in person.

"I'm very disappointed, because I really wanted to," Whitter said.

Earlier Saturday, Santorum was scheduled to appear at meet-and-greets in Chesterfield and Wildwood. Following the Ballwin stop, Santorum was expected to appear at an event in Hazelwood followed by three stops in Illinois. Santorum's visit reportedly was scheduled Thursday, after the Lafayette Township Committe's caucus location was selected.

Both St. Louis and St. Charles counties held Republican caucuses on Saturday. Caucus votes supporting presidential delagates will be tabulated through April 17.