Via Scott Conroy at Real Clear Politics:

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum's underdog presidential run picked up some validation on Saturday as the near-certain candidate won a South Carolina straw poll at the GOP convention in the state's largest county.

Santorum's socially conservative bona fides registered with many of the 431 voters who cast ballots at the Greenville County presidential straw poll, and his frequent South Carolina visits over the past few months appeared to have paid off.

Santorum won 31 percent of the votes cast, while former House Speaker Newt Gingrich finished in second place with 14 percent. Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and business mogul turned reality TV star Donald Trump tied for third place.