Gov. Robert Bentley

After Gov. Robert Bentley said he had voted for Rick Santorum, the Santorum campaign hyped the governor’s decision at the voting booth as an endorsement, but Gov. Bentley has since said on Facebook that his comments should not be construed that way.

On Tuesday, the governor wrote:

“I view Rick Santorum as the most conservative candidate in the Republican presidential primary. I have chosen not to publicly endorse a candidate. I believe a vote is a personal decision that should be based on a voter’s values and principles, not on someone else’s opinion. After being asked who I would vote for, I responded that I had personally chosen to vote for Rick Santorum. The Republican primary features a strong pool of candidates, and I will fully support the Republican nominee chosen by the people.”

The sentiment is understandable, but if anyone wants to see some enthusiasm for the GOP field, this might be the best there is to find.