Rick Santorum blasts Trump for 'bowing down to Washington elite' with Kavanaugh pick

Unlike the liberal politicians out there, most conservatives seem pretty happy with President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. "Most" being the key word. A handful of conservatives aren't exactly thrilled with who Trump picked last night — namely, Rick Santorum.

Right after Trump's announcement, the former Pennsylvania senator and presidential contender stepped up to tear Kavanaugh down. "Donald Trump said he was going to energize the base with this pick. I don't think he did that," Santorum declared to CNN's Chris Cuomo, adding that "it just seems like Trump bowed to the elite in Washington." Kavanaugh is a judge on the federal court of appeals for Washington, D.C.

Santorum would've preferred his friend Thomas Hardiman — someone "who's not just a white-shoe lawyer guy," he told The Washington Post. And he isn't alone among Republicans in his criticism: Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul reportedly told the White House that he was concerned about Kavanaugh's past rulings on health care, per the Post. Paul could potentially swing to join many Senate Democrats in opposing Kavanaugh's nomination, but he tweeted Monday night that he'd keep an "open mind" when deciding whether to approve the judge.

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Meanwhile, David French, a senior fellow at the conservative National Review Institute, broadcast the voice of social conservatives in a Post op-ed. He said Trump should've selected instead Judge Amy Coney Barrett, who was seen as a stronger social conservative. In a separate Post column, radio host Hugh Hewitt defended Kavanaugh — but didn't quite endorse him, writing, "There is not much political upside to Kavanaugh's nomination, but there is enormous political downside if the Senate does not confirm him."

Instead of getting a "Gorsuch 2.0," as Hewitt described potential nominee Raymond Kethledge, America is getting more of a cool, calculated "John Roberts 2.0," he wrote. Read more about conservatives' concerns at The Washington Post.