Rick Santorum today picked up the support of the leader of a conservative women's group, five days before the South Carolina primary.

Santorum is a "champion for faith, family and freedom," Penny Nance, the president of Concerned Women for America, said in a statement.

The group's founder, Beverly LaHaye, and her husband, Tim, a Christian author who wrote the "Left Behind" novels, announced their support for Newt Gingrich last week. Beverly LaHaye is also a friend of Michele Bachmann's.

"When a leader was needed on Capitol Hill, we always knew we could go to Rick Santorum to ensure that conservative values were advanced," Nance said. "Rick led the fight to end partial birth abortion, reform welfare, and fight Radical Islam. I have no doubt that the Santorum Administration will continue the fight for conservatism and our founding principles. I am proud to stand with Rick, and I look forward to working with him and his campaign to defeat President Obama."

Santorum is hoping to win over enough conservative and evangelical voters in South Carolina to give him a strong finish Saturday. He picked up the backing of major conservative and religious leaders who met in Texas this weekend to decide on a candidate to endorse. Gingrich was the runner-up in their balloting.