Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum is surging in the polls, and he's raking in the money.

New disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission show Santorum closing the gap with one-time front-runner Mitt Romney in campaign contributions from Pennsylvania.

Santorum's campaign committee has collected $727,572 from residents of the state through January, the second-most of any Republican candidate for president. He picked up a cool quarter-million last month alone.

Romney's campaign committee is first in Pennsylvania, having brought in $995,026 so far, according to the FEC.

U.S. Rep. Ron Paul's campaign is third, with $473,136, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is last among Republicans, with $181,254 from Pennsylvania residents.

Santorum, however, leads all candidates in contributions from Lancaster County, according to the FEC. He has brought in $48,506 in 87 contributions through January from the ZIP Codes starting with 175 and 176.

They include 11 maximum contributions of $2,500, from retiree Susan V. Brunoff of New Holland; Norman and Anthony H. Hahn of East Earl, both executives at Conestoga Wood Specialties; Four Seasons Produce chairman David L. Hollinger and Deborah Hollinger of Denver; business owners Larry E. and Sally Martin of New Holland; retiree Patrick Stillman of Manheim; IK Stoltzfus Service Corp. president John M. Stoltzfus and Carol J. Stoltzfus of Gordonville; and Donna Titus, a business executive from Reinholds.

The average local contribution to Santorum's campaign is $557.54, the largest of any candidate for president. That does not include David Hollinger's $10,000 contribution in late December to a super PAC supporting Santorum's candidacy, the Red White & Blue Fund.

Romney has raised $16,646 in 36 separate contributions from local residents, including the maximum allowable of $2,500 from three individual supporters: Michael Shirk, an Armstrong World Industries executive from Lititz; Joseph E. Besecker of Lancaster, the chairman of Auction Inn; and Rory O. Connaughton of Lancaster, an attorney with Hartman Underhill & Brubaker.

The average local contribution to Romney's campaign is $462.39.

Paul has raised $15,642 from 110 separate contributions in the county through January, according to FEC records. His single largest contribution of $1,000 came from Charles P. Speitel IV of Lancaster, who works for the Department of Defense.

The average local contribution to Paul's campaign is $142.20.

Gingrich has raised $8,674 in 38 contributions from the county through January, according to FEC records. They include $2,000 from former U.S. Rep. Bob Walker of Manheim Township, his national campaign chairman, and $1,000 from Walker's wife, Barbara, according to the FEC.

The average local contribution to Gingrich's campaign is $228.26.

President Barack Obama's re-election campaign has raised $42,365 in 282 contributions from county residents, according to the FEC.

They include $2,500 each from Wyman B. Fowler of Lancaster, a teacher with Lancaster-Lebanon IU 13; Constance O'Malley of Lancaster, the owner of a papering and painting business; retiree Nancy Roye of Lancaster; and Thomas A. Russo, a partner at Gardner Russo & Gardner.

The average local contribution to Obama's campaign is $150.23.

tmurse@lnpnews.com