John Santorum, Rick Santorum's Son, Also Fails in Presidency Bid

The Santorum men just can't catch a break in South Carolina.

Former Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum finished third in the state during the Republican presidential primary, just weeks before his foundering candidacy surged.

And on Wednesday, his son lost his inaugeral forray into politics at The Citadel, the state's public military college in Charleston.

A college spokeswoman confirms that Santorum did not win his Wednesday bid to lead the 2016 sophomore class. A vote tally was not immediately available.

The younger Santorum invoked his father's name in his bid, but fellow cadets were apparently not swayed.

"Help me finish what my dad couldn't," a post on the younger Santorum's Facebook page read in the run-up to this week's class election.

He also claimed an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association, and told Facebook followers "I love America and I love guns."

The elder Santorum, a staunch social conservative who established offices in South Carolina early in the 2012 primary, hoped to win big in the Palmetto State. But he finished third behind New Gingrich and eventual nominee Mitt Romney.

The Santorum campaign foundered for months after that January primary but later had a spring surge after winning several Deep South state. He eventually withdrew in April, paving the way for Romney's nomination. In all, he won 11 states.

Rick Santorum is set to reemerge on the national political stage this week at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland. In Charleston on April 13, Santorum is set to speak at the county GOP convention at Porter-Guad School.