Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who wasn’t even a candidate for the GOP nomination until mid-August, has surged to the front of South Carolina fundraising thanks to some fast and large donations.

Perry, whose Palmetto State poll numbers have soured after a hot start, has raised $103,650 from S.C. contributors in six weeks, according to Federal Elections Commission figures released this week. Perry's 81 donations, primarily from Upstate residents, averaged $1,280.

Following Perry in fundraising is former Sen. Rick Santorum, who has raised $80,080 among S.C. donors; former Gov. Mitt Romney, who has raised $75,230 ($54,000 of it coming in the third quarter) and Rep. Ron Paul, who has raised $54,999 since the campaign began.

Businessman Herman Cain, who leads the latest S.C. GOP poll among primary voters, has raised $23,484. Rep. Michele Bachmann, who spent a great deal of time in South Carolina over the summer, has yet to make a serious funding impact, raising $23,197. Meanwhile, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has raised $16,460.

Onetime candidate and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty raised $2,800 before dropping out of the race. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, whose campaign appears to be in financial distress following this recent round of financial disclosures, has raised $2,550. And former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson has raised $451.

South Carolina, which will hold its first in the South primary on Jan. 21, isn’t just opening its pocketbook for Republican candidates, however.

While the GOP presidential candidates have raised $382,902 in this election cycle, incumbent President Barack Obama, who is visiting North Carolina and Virginia this week, has raised $238,291 among S.C. voters, according to the FEC.

Going all the way back to May 5, candidates received 33 donations from 25 donors, totalling $23,702 from Charleston. Ron Paul was the only candidate in the bunch that refunded any Charleston donations (a total of $245 returned to three separate donors, all of whom live in West Ashley) during the fundraising period.

Perry led the way in cash in Charleston raking in $10,300 from five donors, four of whom gave the maximum individual contribution of $2,500. Of his Charleston total, $5,300 came from three West Ashely donors.

Paul, even with the refunds, was second in the money race in Charleston with $5,881 from eight donors, one of whom gave the maximum donation. Including the campaign cash he refunded during the period Paul took in nearly half of his Charleston funding from West Ashley, $2,880 from three donors.

Romeny came next with $5,125 from six donors including one who gave the maximum. Two Romney donors live in West Ashley and accounted for $475.

Bachmann brought in the fourth most money in Charleston with $1,051 from three donors, two of whom reside West Ashley and accounted for $651.

Cain received a single donation of $500, Pawlenty also got a single donation for $300 before he dropped out of the race and Gingrich also got a single $250 donation.