Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum announced he will formally declare his candidacy for the Republican 2012 presidential nomination on June 6, and to ensure his level of seriousness, has begun filling out his campaign staffs in Iowa and New Hampshire, Politico reported.

In Iowa, Santorum's exploratory committee has pegged Jamie Johnson - an Iowa politician who ran an unsuccessful bid for Iowa legislature in 2008 - to manage statewide coalitions and grassroots efforts. April Baylor of Ames, Iowa, will serve as assistant to Cody Brown, Santorum's Iowa state director.

Santorum also hired Kristin Beaulieu, of Nashua N.H., and Tyler Carlisle of Manchester N.H., as field representatives.

I am excited to announce the additions of Jamie, April, Kristin, and Tyler to our expanding team in the early primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire, Santorum said in a statement. As I continue to explore a run for the presidency, I look forward to working closely with each of them to build the grassroots network necessary to deliver our message of empowering the American people and not the government.

Santorum, who served two terms each in the Senate and the House, distinguished himself for his social conservatism on issues such as homosexuality and abortion and his strong stand against what he dubbed Islamic fascism.

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