Santorum heads to Iowa

Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) is heading back to Iowa to campaign for a close ally.

{mosads}Santorum will head to Des Moines on March 26 to stump for Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz’s (R) House campaign. Schultz was a major Santorum backer in 2012 and the only statewide elected official to endorse Santorum ahead of his Iowa caucus win.

Santorum’s trip gives him another chance to reconnect with Iowa Republicans, as he gives serious consideration to another bid for the White House.

Schultz is running in a crowded GOP field for retiring Rep. Tom Latham’s (R-Iowa) seat in a swing district Democrats hope they can win.

“The race to replace Congressman Latham is one of the most closely watched in the country and Matt Schultz is exactly the type of leader we need to not just hold the seat for conservatives, but make a real difference in Washington,” Santorum said in a statement released by Schultz’s campaign. “I’m excited to be coming back to Iowa to lend a hand to a great friend of mine who is running to represent Iowa in Congress.”

While Santorum has been spending a lot of time in the early-voting presidential states, polls show Republicans are less enthusiastic about him than some other candidates. A recent Iowa poll for the Des Moines Register found that less than half of Republicans thought he should run again, a lower mark than a number of other potential GOP candidates.