Santorum Praises Reagan at Jelly Belly Factory

Jelly beans, Reagan love, and warnings of "radical Islam," all in one campaign stop.

Look out for Rick Santorum -- Mitt Romney and Barack Obama could be getting jelly.

The former Pennsylvania senator's pick of venue for his campaign stop in California had Reagan written all over it: Santorum rallied supporters at the manufacturing plant for Jelly Belly jelly beans, which were a favorite of the 40th president and conservative icon, who Santorum called his "political hero," according to the San Jose Mercury News.

He kept on message: the self-styled "Reagan conservative candidate" has an economic policy that's "Reaganomics," and his foreign policy is Reaganesque, too -- with a dash of Axis of Evil mixed in.

Hundreds of supporters inside and out crowded the Solano County factory to hear Santorum praise Reagan, slam Obama and Romney, and warn of radical Islam, the religion that's "evil, and that evil regime must be replaced," the newspaper reported.

Santorum bashed Obama for his controversial comment, picked up by a hot mic, to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, that the president would be able to better negotiate missile defense issues after the election. Reagan wouldn't do that, Santorum said, recounting the time the Great Communicator walked out of a meeting with Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev.

Outside, some Occupy supporters verbally sparred with the Santorum contingent, while snipers on roofs kept the peace, the newspaper reported.

Santorum's visit to the outer rim of the San Francisco Bay Area came a few days after Mitt Romney visited Redwood City on the Peninsula.

Santorum trails Romney by a wide margin in the race for the Republican nomination.