Santorum hauls in $1 million in one day

By: Corbett B. Daly
Topics: Campaign 2012

Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum

(Credit: Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Rick Santorum raised more than $1 million in small campaign donations Wednesday, one day after coming within a rounding error of Mitt Romney in the Iowa caucuses, his campaign confirmed to CBS News.

The haul is the former Pennsylvania senator's largest one-day total since the race began and about half of all the money he had raised thus far, National Journal reports.

Santorum fell just eight votes short of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney on Tuesday in Iowa, where Republican voters began the 2012 nominating contest with their non-binding selection.

The Republican race quickly moved to New Hampshire, which holds the first primary January 10 and South Carolina, which hold its contest January 21.

Santorum, the newly anointed coalition conservative challenger to Romney, faces a daunting operational challenge of trying to turn his electoral success in Iowa into kind of campaign machine could compete with the Romney campaign juggernaut.

Santorum now has to build a donor network and do it fast. Romney is widely expected to win New Hampshire, where voters are less likely to be attracted to Santorum's social conservative message.

South Carolina could be fertile ground for another heated contest between Romney and a more conservative candidate. Romney is seen as too moderate by many of the most conservative Republicans, who tend to be most active in the Repubican nominating process.

Corbett B. Daly
Corbett B. Daly is CBSNews.com's deputy politics editor.
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by jeannettelj January 5, 2012 11:36 AM EST: I can't believe that anyone would give this guy money, let alone vote for him. If only half of what we hear about him is true, he is dangerous.; Reply to this comment

by monbois January 5, 2012 11:21 AM EST

Rick Santorum wants to CRIMINALIZE ALL SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE! Did you know that? Even in marriage he wants the government to act as watchdog and make sure husband and wife only have vaginal sex or face criminal charges. This guy's a major, MAJOR wack job! This is why Pennsylvania kicked him out of the senator's seat.

Go to ThinkProgress[dot]org and look up 'Rick Santorum's Top 10 Most Outrageous Campaign Statements' to find out more about his nutty and dangerous agenda. Here's are the headlines for each statement, full explanations are on the website:

1) ANNUL ALL SAME-SEX MARRIAGES.

2) 'I'M FOR INCOME INEQUALITY'.

3) CONTRACEPTION IS 'A LICENSE TO DO THINGS'.

4) GAY SOLDIERS 'CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN CLOSE QUARTERS'.

5) OBAMA SHOULD OPPOSE ABORTION BECAUSE HE'S BLACK.

6) WE DON'T NEED FOOD STAMPS BECAUSE OBESITY RATES ARE SO HIGH.

7) ABORTION EXCEPTIONS TO PROTECT WOMEN'S HEALTH ARE 'PHONY'.

8) HEALTH REFORM WILL KILL MY CHILD.

9) UNINSURED AMERICANS SHOULD SPEND LESS ON CELL-PHONE BILLS.

10) INSURERS SHOULD DISCRIMINATE AGAINST PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS.

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by Zann-Zel January 5, 2012 12:53 PM EST: : /

He IS a pre-existing condition!

This idiot is sickening! WHO sends him money? Is there ANYONE here who sends this guy money? Someone tell me WHY??????????


by Zann-Zel January 5, 2012 1:17 PM EST: Wow...I guess this guys supporters are 100% Fox viewers! LOL

by sgreco1970 January 5, 2012 9:49 AM EST

boy these politicians can sure raise the millions fast for their careers but not a penny for the economy

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by DidHeSayThat January 5, 2012 10:58 AM EST: Good point!


by cbsmdj January 5, 2012 9:48 AM EST: If you've never done so, do a Google search on "Santorum". Check out the top hit (definition). It clearly defines what and who he seems to be.; Reply to this comment


by irreverentasever January 5, 2012 9:12 AM EST: I'm guessing he's in the pocket of the Koch brothers.; Reply to this comment

by ProgressNow January 5, 2012 9:04 AM EST

What's the saying? "Fools and their money are soon parted"...

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by signseeker1717 January 5, 2012 10:56 AM EST: Remember all the other "flavors of the month" who got financial bumps? Santorum's case is no different. With that infusion of cash comes increased scrutiny, and a plunge back down. He better enjoy it while he can; it won't last. The "fools" will dash in another direction by and by.


by levelheadedtoo January 5, 2012 8:57 AM EST: Rick is the man! His christian principals are in line with other people like him. He is one of the flock.

His dislike of the Affordable Care Act might just come from his associations with the very people he hates so much. It is hard to talk poorly of the guy that is handing you a big fat check.

Concerning Mr. Santorum's recent wealth. "The fees and options came from King of Prussia-based Universal Health Services Inc., a publicly traded health-care management company that was sued in 2010 by the federal government for alleged Medicaid fraud." Rick went from being a guy with a Senate salary "only" to a rich guy in just a few years after being voted out of office.

Like all Washington insiders, he sold out the people he was elected to help.

How can he look a poor person in the eye and rant about healthcare on the campaign trail and then accept big bucks from the people that are keeping that poor guy sick.

He is no different than Newt taking money from Freddie and then complaining about sub-prime loans.

Christian values 101.; Reply to this comment

by ammo17 January 5, 2012 8:52 AM EST

people like santorum are the reason our country is in such a funk,anyone who spent time in d.c.what did he accomplish when he was in congress?romney on the other hand became governor of massachusettes the playground of the kennedy`s.romney gets my vote.

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by signseeker1717 January 5, 2012 10:45 AM EST: Which Romney are you voting for? The MA "moderate" Romney or the campaign trail "conservative" backing away from his MA record?

The man will say and do ANYTHING to promote himself.