Rick Santorum Scores a Big Endorsement in Iowa

On Friday, Republican presidential hopeful former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania gained a big boost for his campaign when he received the endorsement of Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz. Santorum has campaigned hard in the Hawkeye State, which holds its caucus on Jan. 3, and has appeared in all 99 counties in the state. Schultz becomes the first statewide elected official to back any of the GOP hopefuls.

"I am honored to receive Secretary of State Schultz's endorsement today, Santorum said in a statement released on Friday morning. Matt is a rising conservative star, not just in Iowa but for the entire nation. Matt built his own campaign for secretary of state through grass-roots campaigning and exciting activists -- not through TV ads and occasional rallies in Des Moines.Matt went door-to-door, coffee shop to coffee shop, and won over the people of Iowa. I learned from Matt Schultz how Iowa campaigns are run, and I am thrilled to have his vote of confidence today. I am excited to work with Matt over the next month as we execute our plan to win the Iowa caucuses."