FEC figures released this week indicate that the Ron Paul 2012 campaign raised $13 million in the fourth quarter of 2011, a significant increase on the $8 million Paul raised in the third quarter.

A large bulk of that cash came from an independently organized donation drive last month. The campaign saw $4 million donated in just one weekend in mid December as part of a ‘Tea Party Money Bomb’.

The funds will allow the Paul campaign to forge ahead and buy more advertising ahead of further primaries and caucuses nationwide.

Unlike candidates such as Rick Santorum and John Huntsman, Paul has the potential to continue to raise substantial sums of money and progress his campaign beyond Iowa and New Hampshire, owing to a large and loyal grassroots support base.