Even though the GOP has not assembled yet to nominate its presidential candidate, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, the defending champion of the Iowa Republican caucus, is heading back to the Hawkeye State.

Santorum beat out former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts by a handful of votes in Iowa, which kicks off the procession of states that determine the presidential candidates, and went on to defeat him in 10 other state contests. Since bowing out of the race and endorsing Romney, Santorum has remained politically active though his Red, White and Blue Fund PAC and launching a new organization called Patriot Voices.

Since forming Patriot Voices in early June, Santorum has shown no hesitation in supporting conservative candidates in Republican primaries. Santorum backed Dan Liljenquist’s unsuccessful challenge in the Republican primary to U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch in Utah. While he called Hatch a “good man,” Santorum said that Lijenquist was an “authentic conservative.”

Santorum has also remained active in Iowa. Toward the end of June, Santorum threw his support behind two Republicans -- John Archer and Ben Lange -- looking to knock off Democrat congressmen in the Hawkeye State. After an event in Iowa City, Santorum will spend Tuesday afternoon campaigning for Archer in Bettendorf and Lange in Dubuque. Santorum will campaign for Iowa state Rep. Walt Rogers in Cedar Falls on Wednesday before joining Iowa Republican and conservative leaders for an effort in Coralville. That afternoon, Santorum will campaign again with Lange in Marshalltown before holding an event in Windsor Heights with supporters.

With Republicans generally nominating presidential candidates who have sought the party’s nomination before, Santorum’s return to Iowa is already generating buzz that he intends to make a second shot at the GOP nod if Romney falters in November. With Romney’s camp providing contradictory responses to the recent Supreme Court ruling on the federal health-care law, the Santorum team has publicly noted that their candidate predicted that the former Massachusetts governor would be at a disadvantage on the issue due to the law he signed in the Bay State.

In the meantime, Santorum is quiet about presidential ambitions in either 2016 or beyond and focusing his fire on Obama.

Weighing in on the national jobs report released on Friday, Santorum ripped into the president.

"Today's jobs report is yet another reminder of the disaster that is Obamanomics,” Santorum said. “These numbers are abysmal and sadly reaffirm that our economy continues to suffer and American families are struggling.

"Under President Obama's economic and regulatory policies, the unemployment remains over 8 percent, poverty rates are at historic and tragic highs with one in six Americans living in poverty, and one in four children receiving food stamps,” Santorum continued. "Our manufacturing sector also continues to decline under this president. For the second quarter in a row, manufacturers continue to be less optimistic about growth due to increased uncertainty.

"If we are serious about addressing poverty in this country then we must support policies that create an environment for work, marriage and family, quality education, access to capital, and civil society to prosper,” Santorum added. “This is how we help the unemployed in America; not through big government but through expanded opportunity and bold leadership."

Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.