Rick Santorum has won the endorsement of two prominent conservative leaders in Iowa, the Des Moines Register reported.

Bob Vander Plaats, president and CEO of umbrella group The Family Leader, and Chuck Hurley, head of the Iowa Family Policy Center, gave their personal backing to the former Pennsylvania senator on Tuesday.

The Family Leader, however, won't officially endorse a candidate before next month's Iowa GOP caucuses.

“There's a lot of good people out here running, and I'm sure it was a tough decision,” Santorum told the paper. “I think it shows that we're the candidate right now that has the momentum, that has the message that's resonating to the people of Iowa.”

The Family Leader hosted a November 22 Thanksgiving Family Forum attended by six GOP candidates.

Santorum, along with Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and Texas Governor Rick Perry, signed the group's controversial 14-point anti-gay marriage pledge.

Each presidential candidate was asked to “vigorously” oppose marriage equality, be faithful to his or her own spouse, vow to protect women and children from pornography and reject Sharia law because it is a “form of totalitarian control.”

The pledge ironically asks candidates to have “respect for the marital bonds of others” in a state where gay marriage is legal and footnotes to the document suggest that being gay is a choice that may have a negative impact on public health.

(Related: Bob Vander Plaats criticizes Ron Paul for stance on social issues.)