The former Pennsylvania senator met Saturday with a room full of activists and a mob of reporters as he opened a five-stop swing through southern Iowa. He says that if he gains momentum a host of social and economic issues will be in play in the race.
Santorum is fighting rival Rick Perry to become the conservative alternative to front-runner Mitt Romney.
Also on Saturday, Santorum began airing a new television commercial in Iowa touting himself as a "full spectrum conservative" who has the best chance of beating President Barack Obama. The same commercial starts airing Monday in New Hampshire.
