It’s been a happy holiday season for Rick Santorum. Not only has he risen to a respectable third in the Iowa polls, but he’s managed to monetize his mounting momentum, too. His surge has been a magnet for delayed-decision donors and other contributors. Political Ticker reports:

A senior Santorum adviser tells CNN the campaign raised more money in the last week than they raised on-line the past six months, adding that fundraising is between 300% and 400% higher on a daily basis than it was just ten days ago.

Santorum talked about his rising financial fortunes, at a campaign event Monday morning in Polk City, Iowa.

“I would just stay this: We have raised more money in the last few days than we have in the last few months. And going from zero to 60 in the polls, if you will, will help those resources a lot,” said Santorum, in response to a question from the town’s mayor, asking if the candidate had the financial resources to take on President Barack Obama.

The campaign raised just over $700,000 in July through September, finishing with less than $190,000 cash on hand at the end of the third quarter, far behind many of Santorum’s rivals for the Republican nomination.

Success is clearly a reinforcing cycle; more popularity means more money, more money means enhanced means to attack competition and build up a campaign, an increased campaign presence means more popularity, etc., etc., etc. And unlike other mini-boomlet candidates, Santorum doesn’t stand to be brought down by past transgressions against conservatives. With the additional resources, the Santorum campaign and a pro-Santorum Super PAC have purchased ads not only in Iowa, but also in New Hampshire and South Carolina, which — you never know — might increase his standing in those states. Of the early primary states, Iowa certainly is the most tailor-made for Santorum, given the oft-noted significant presence of social conservatives there. But no doubt part of Santorum’s low poll numbers in the past has been a lack of name recognition or an unawareness of his command of non-social issues, too. As conservative voters across the country look more closely at him, they’ll like what they see.