Latest Addition to GOP 2012: Rick Santorum

(Newser) – It's official. Sort of. Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum announced last night that he's launching an exploratory committee to begin raising funds for a possible run at the presidency. Santorum, popular with social conservatives, revealed the new step on Fox News last night. Earlier in the day the wanna-be candidate, 52, said he and his wife had been "incredibly humbled by the encouragement I have received to run for president in 2012." Santorum is polling well among the presumed pack of GOP candidates, but lost to a Democrat in his own state, and has been out of office since 2007.

He lacks a high-profile pulpit and the personal wealth and financial network of his rivals to kick-start a campaign, notes the AP. "The only test for me is whether we can raise the money that's necessary," Santorum told Fox News, where he used to work as a political analyst. "We're going to determine over the next few weeks as to whether the resources are going to be there." His motto is "Fighting to make America, America again," and he adamantly opposes abortion, gay marriage, and stem cell research. For an interesting peek into Santorum's home life, check out Gawker.