For the past year and a half (!), and with increasing frequency of late, Rick Santorum's travel plans for the most part have followed the predictable triangle of early-state presidential politics: A smidge of South Carolina, a helping of New Hampshire and a whole lotta Iowa.

Now Santorum is evolving, branching out a bit more to other states acting early in the nominations process. CNN is reporting that Rick is visiting Reno, Nevada, on Thursday, his first sojurn to the state that is almost certain to be a Mitt Romney cakewalk -- but nonetheless is an important early state. Also, shortly after telling South Carolina folks that Florida shouldn't be jumping in the primary line, Santorum is planning to head to the Sunshine State (sayeth Politico) in May for a Reagan-Lincoln Day Dinner in St. Johns County (which includes St. Augustine).

In yet more looking ahead, Santorum responded to President Barack Obama's campaign launch with a statement that previewed a potential general election argument -- one that includes the Libyan conflict (which Santorum has not been shy about commenting on) as a potential albatross for the POTUS: "We can't take four more years of the 'change' the Obama Administration has forced upon America. The only thing that has changed is the amount of our debt, the size of our government, the loss of our freedom, the fewer jobs for those wanting work, the diminished stature of America, and an expensive military commitment without a clear national security purpose."

In more Santorum-responds-to-the-news-of-the-day news, he praised Rep. Paul Ryan's GOP budget in a statement this morning, noting Ryan's proposal to turn Medicaid into a block grant program for the states with a little self horn-tooting: "As one of the principal authors of the 1996 Welfare Reform bill that greatly utilized the block grant system to reform that entitlement, I have seen firsthand the success that can occur by using conservative policy foundations to empower individuals and save a failing program."