Rick Santorum: 'Conservatives beginning to get it'

After sweeping GOP contests Tuesday in Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado, Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum says conservative voters are finally beginning to understand that he is the strongest candidate to take on President Barack Obama.

"I believe conservatives are beginning to get it, that we provide the best opportunity to beat President Obama," the candidate told CNN's Soledad O'Brien Wednesday. “We definitely are the campaign right now with the momentum and enthusiasm on the ground.”

"We're not running for CEO of the country," Santorum added, referring to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. "We're running for someone who can lead this country, someone who has an understanding of what's necessary to get jobs created, and someone who has the wisdom to discern when the role of government should be involved and not. And on those issues, Gov. Romney, Mr. Outsider was for government takeover of health care, was for government takeover of the private sector or the Wall Street bailout, and was for the government takeover of industry and energy with cap and trade. So, Mr. Private Sector was Mr. Big Government."

While the wins in Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado are important for Santorum's momentum, they were not binding and no delegates were awarded. With 22 delegates total, the former Pennsylvania senator still trails former House speaker Newt Gingrich's 38 delegates and Romney's 106 delegates. Texas Congressman Ron Paul has 20 delegates.

Having only $1 million in cash on hand, Santorum also has far fewer resources to work with than Romney, who's campaign has about $19 million to spend.

Watch this video from CNN's Starting Point, broadcast Feb. 8, 2012

(H/T: National Journal)