(UPDATED: 9:36 a.m. Feb. 8) Rick Santorum slipped past Ron Paul in the Hopkins Republican presidential preference contest Tuesday at Alice Smith Elementary.

Santorum collected 55 votes to Paul’s 53 in the community.

Exact Hopkins precinct tallies weren’t immediately available. But Romaine Bechir, a member of the Senate District 44 Republican executive committee, said a large number of young people in Hopkins Precinct 6 who cast votes for Paul kept the race close.

Social issues accounted for much of the divide between Santorum and Paul supporters. Both sides agreed on the need to reign in spending and decrease the size of government. But Paul supporters spoke of the need to stay out of people’s personal lives, while Santorum’s backers praised his conservative values.

Larry Mandile, a salesman for a courier company, was one of those. Mandile described himself as a “very pro-life” voter who backed Santorum. He said he showed up at Tuesday’s caucus meetings to have his voice heard.

“It’s part of being an American, “ he said. “I think it’s just a good thing to get involved.”

The values sentiment was evident in the resolutions discussed at the caucuses. Hopkins voters were especially displeased with Pres. Barack Obama’s mandate that health insurance include birth control. The policy applies to religious organizations that do not have an exclusively religious purpose—such as Catholic hospitals and charities—but does not apply to churches.

Bechir attributed that particular issue to the significant number of Catholics in Hopkins.

Foreign policy was another mark of division. Andrew Duneman—a Precinct 4 voter who owns an online retail business—applauded Paul’s position on avoiding foreign entanglements.

“Basically, he’s the only guy who practices what he preaches, I think,” Duneman said after the conclusion of the caucus.

Yet critics charged that Paul’s vision is unrealistic when the United States depends so much on foreign energy sources.

“Mr. Paul scares me,” a man only identified as Tom told his precinct. “That’s the only problem I have with him right now is the foreign policy.”

The split wasn’t just between Santorum and Paul. Mitt Romney backers answered questions about the former Massachusetts governor’s actions while in office. Other comments were more pointed.

“I’m an old lady that has been around a long time and raised eight kids and homeschooled for 12 years,” one unidentified woman said before speaking approvingly of Santorum’s family values. “Mitt Romney has a different set of values with his church.”

Romney, widely viewed as the Republican frontrunner, trailed in both Hopkins and the statewide race.

Although Paul kept the race close in Hopkins, Santorum dominated the statewide contest.

With 97 percent of precincts reporting in Wednesday morning, he had 45 percent of the vote to Paul’s 27 percent, Romney’s 17 percent and Gingrich's 11 percent.

Regardless of how their individual candidates fared, Hopkins caucus goers said they were pleased with the night’s activities.

“You should stand up and speak,” said Duneman, adding that he was silent at his first caucus in 2008. “I really think at the caucuses your vote means a whole lot more than it does in November.”

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Hopkins GOP Totals