Rick Santorum appeared at ease Tuesday night in his first appearance since suspending his presidential campaign, reflecting on his family and why he was labeled the "extremist" GOP candidate.

The former Pennsylvania senator made the revelations during an on-stage interview with Focus on the Family’s James Dobson at Lancaster Bible College, CNN reported.

More from GlobalPost: Rick Santorum suspends campaign (VIDEO)

He suspended his campaign earlier Tuesday as polls showed the once-surging candidate behind Mitt Romney in his home state of Pennsylvania. His 3-year-old daughter, Bella, who suffers from a rare and often fatal genetic condition, has also been hospitalized recently, the New York Daily News reported.

Santorum kept the Lancaster Bible College audience rapt as he argued for more support for marriage and fewer abortions. At one point, he spoke movingly about how his disabled 3-year-old daughter, Isabella Maria, communicates with her parents, the Washington Post reported.

More from GlobalPost: Rick Santorum: Five highlights from his campaign

While Dobson praised the former two-term Pennsylvania senator for having the courage to talk about marriage and the sanctity of human life, he chided conservative political commentators for considering those views “extremist," CNN reported.

Santorum said his opponents share similar opinions.

“If you go down the list of sort of the life, marriage, social conservative issues, we were all pretty much in line, yet I was considered the extremist, which I found very interesting,” CNN reported him as saying.

When asked what his plans are, Santorum replied, "I'd like to get some sleep," the New York Daily News reported.