In the end, Rick Santorum was humble.

And characteristically defiant.

The Republican presidential hopeful, who abandoned his long-shot campaign Tuesday, described his run for the nomination as a "miraculous experience." He also described himself as the only GOP candidate willing to speak out on social issues like abortion and marriage.

"They don't want to talk about these very ticklish issues, what's causing the breakdown of the American family," Santorum said during a nearly hourlong appearance with evangelical leader James Dobson at Lancaster Bible College Tuesday night. His appearance here happened a short time after he announced his decision to quit the race.

The former U.S. senator said his insistence on focusing on those social issues earned him the mantle of "extremist," even though Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul hold similar positions.

"The reason is, the people who evaluate these candidates and label extremism understood that I actually believed what I said. I was willing to actually fight to do something to move the ball," Santorum told about 600 people at the college's Good Shepherd Chapel. The facility seats 1,500.

Still, Santorum said he and his family were blessed to meet so many supporters on the campaign trail.

"It was an opportunity for me to reflect on really the miraculous experience that we had at so many levels. It really was a great blessing to be involved in this campaign and to see all the things that we were able to accomplish in standing up and speaking for those who don't have a voice," he said.

Santorum did not mention Romney, the presumed nominee, or any of the other candidates by name at the college or at a private fundraiser here earlier in the day. He did not make himself available to reporters.

The event with Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family, was billed as a nonpolitical discussion on religious liberty.

It was sponsored by an Arlington, Va.-based nonprofit group called American Values Action. Its president is Gary Bauer, a prominent social conservative who unsuccessfully sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2000 and 1996. Bauer's group, according to its website, is "committed to defending life, traditional marriage and equipping our children with the values necessary to stand against liberal education and cultural forces."

Bauer was among several conservative leaders who met with Santorum last week to plot a strategy for moving the campaign forward in the face of Romney's growing delegate lead. He had urged conservative Republicans to unite behind Santorum for the April 24 Pennsylvania primary.

Bauer is married to Carol Hoke Bauer, who grew up in Manheim Township.

Santorum's appearance at the Bible College, which has about 1,100 students, was scheduled just days ago, before his 3-year-old daughter. Bella, was hospitalized with pneumonia. Santorum took the weekend off from campaigning, then announced Tuesday afternoon in Gettysburg that he was suspending his effort.

"We're here to celebrate and honor one of the great men of this nation, Rick Santorum," Dobson told his audience. "This could be a sad day, and it's not going to be. This is day of celebration. We are not going to allow any grief here and if you sit and cry, we're going to ask you to leave."

Many who attended were, in fact, disappointed at Santorum's decision and said they had been planning to vote for him in the April 24 primary. Others said he was not the most electable Republican to put up against President Barack Obama in the fall.

"I'm disappointed. I was really going to vote for him — because of his faith and how he lives out his faith with his family," said Dan Gotshall, 65, of West Hempfield Township. "I think he's more conservative than Romney."

Gotshall said he will vote for Gingrich in the April 24 primary if the former House speaker is still in the race.

"I don't have complete faith in Romney, that he won't institute Romneycare halfway," Gotshall said.

Matthew Dodson, 22, of Lancaster, is a Paul supporter who said he will vote for Romney and is glad that Santorum is out of the race.

"I don't believe he would have been a strong candidate to beat Obama in the general election," Dodson said. "Romney is the best candidate for a Republican win."

Santorum's appearance at the college was his second in Lancaster County on Tuesday. He kept his scheduled appearance at a private fundraiser here late Tuesday afternoon. The fundraiser, which brought in more than $150,000 for the Santorum campaign from about 300 supporters, was hosted by the religious-conservative political action committee Lancaster County ACTION at Four Seasons Produce in Ephrata.

In a prepared statement following his announcement that he was quitting the race, Santorum said his campaign was in debt and he encouraged supporters to contribute money to it.

Four Seasons chairman David L. Hollinger, a longtime friend and supporter of Santorum, said he was somewhat surprised by the decision to suspend the campaign. He got a call informing him of the decision about a half-hour before Santorum made it public.

"Sure, I'm disappointed," Hollinger said. "I think what Rick brings to the race is a good conservative message that I think the country needs to hear. That won't be there anymore."

Hollinger added that he understands Santorum "needed to be a realist."

Recent statewide polls have shown him locked in a dead heat with Romney, even though Santorum once called Pennsylvania home and represented it in the U.S. Senate for 12 years.

Political analysts said a loss here would have been devastating not only to Santorum's presidential bid but to any future aspirations he had in the Republican Party.

Local Republicans who were backing Santorum showed no hesitation in getting behind Romney.

Scott Martin, a Republican Lancaster County commissioner who helped organize the fundraiser for Santorum, said he was disappointed that his candidate wouldn't be the nominee, but that a bigger goal remains for the party.

"I can say the objective for me and for us is the same, and that is changing the course of the country and getting Mitt Romney elected president," Martin said.

"The goal is to defeat this incumbent," Martin said.

Martin said he couldn't imagine dealing with the stresses of a presidential campaign, along with the personal crisis of an ailing daughter.

He said the weekend hospitalization of Bella, who was born with a rare genetic disorder, likely offered Santorum "clarity with what's the right thing to do."

State Rep. Scott Boyd, a Santorum supporter who coordinated the former U.S. senator's campaign here in 2000, said he admired Santorum for putting his family first.

"I'm a little surprised and obviously disappointed because I clearly think he's the strongest conservative in the race," Boyd said. "But with that said, I certainly understand, particularly with the personal issues he's dealing with, with his 3-year-old, Bella.

"You've really got to admire the guy who's got his priorities right," Boyd, a Republican from West Lampeter Township, said.

Boyd did not hesitate when asked whether he will support Romney.

"The No. 1 priority since day one has been to change the occupant at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue," he said. "We cannot continue down this path of debt destruction."

Santorum said his family took the news about suspending his campaign harder than he did.

Dobson asked Santorum what he is going to do next.

"I'd like to get some sleep," Santorum replied.

Santorum is still scheduled to speak at the Republican Committee of Lancaster County's spring banquet, being held Tuesday at the Lancaster County Convention Center in the city, party officials said. Romney is the event's featured speaker, and party officials said this week that Gingrich also has confirmed his intention to attend.

About 1,200 people are expected at the event, which is a fundraiser for the county GOP.

tmurse@lnpnews.com

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