(CNN) – Mitt Romney has taken the lead in Arizona with Rick Santorum in a close second ahead of the state's February contest, according to a new poll.
The American Research Group survey shows Romney with 38% support among likely Republican primary voters, followed by Santorum at 31%, Newt Gingrich at 15% and Ron Paul with 11%.
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The new figures represent a significant shift since January, when a similar poll indicated Romney and Gingrich tied at 32%, Paul with 12% and Santorum with 10%.
Santorum's jump in the latest Grand Canyon State poll is another in a string of national and state-wide polling that shows a surge for the former Pennsylvania senator ahead of February 28 contests in Arizona and Michigan and 10 additional states on Super Tuesday, March 6.
While Santorum edged out Romney in Wednesday's poll among men, 37% to 30%, Romney led among women, 47% to 24% among women.
Romney also bested the other GOP candidates among self identified tea party supporters with 41% support, followed by Santorum with 34%, Gingrich with 10% and Paul with 7%.
ARG surveyed 600 likely Republican primary voters between February 13 and February 14 with a sampling error of plus or minus four percentage points.
The Republican White House hopefuls will meet on stage next in Mesa, Arizona in a CNN sponsored debate on February 22.
- CNN's Paul Steinhauser and Gabriella Schwarz contributed to this report.
No surprise here – AZ rivals FL as the national hotspot for demented old right-wingers.
This news is no suprise – birds of a feather.
The fake & plastic mormon who fixed the Maine vote by denying voters is finally getting what he deservers. The so called son of Detroit as he portrays himself is going to get beaten by the people who he turned his back on. I gota tell you, this guys a real piece of work, A filthly rich man that has the personality of a table but all the lds superpack money in the world. GO RICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CNN, ya'll are reallly creeping me out with these pictures of Ayatollah Santorum with the light partially on his face and the darkness covering the rest. A picture speaks a thousand words.
Romney 2012 Romney2012 Arizona please don't pick Santorum !!!!! He is a Washington insider.
Rick Santorum / Jan Brewer 2012
God/Guns/RVParks
Bullets don't kill people , Condoms do !
Is anyone surprised? The ugly views of Arizonians match up with the archaic views of santorum. I'm not surprised at all.
If Santorum will do very well in the coming debate, he will win in Arizona and upset Romney. To my prediction he will.
"Romney led among women, 47% to 24%"
There are more women than men in this country. By all means, Republicans, nominate Santorum. Maybe you guys need a 20 point defeat in November as a lesson to moderate your views, moderate your rhetoric, and deal with the world that exists outside your ideological bubble.
this is what happens when you try to potray yourself as "severely conservative" and being "a son of detroit" just to pander to the far right to get voters!
Mitt MorNEY thinks that we can't see through his muti-faceted personality of being a conservative/liberal/moderate all rolled into one politician...American voters cannot be fooled by a vulture capitalist who is being unpatriotic by stashing his wealth away in Caymen Island and Swiss Bank accounts!!!!
OBAMA 2012!
It’s kind of expected that Santorum would do well in AZ. Lots of Right of Center folks down there. The floating head imagery is a nice, albeit creepy touch. If Santorum is going for the OZ effect, then I’d chalk that up as a campaign trail win.
that's about right! considering an AZ senator just introduced a bill to make it illegal for a teacher to curse in a classroom...we're right on track for all of that SMALLER GOVT they like to pretend to be for!
Even though these poll numbers may represent the most severe members of the republican party, its disappointing to see any parts of our otherwise great nation embracing Santorum's unique brand of bigotry, homophobia, and misogyny (hatred of women for those less well read).
Santorum want government small enough so it fits into an uterus.
Myth Romney, I love it, very fitting!!!!!!!!!!!
Romney is by far the best candidate to beat Obama. For starters, he does not have skeletons in the closet like Newt. Second, he has not taken earmarks like Santorum. He is extremely intelligent and has a record of success in business and government. Finally, he polls much better against Obama than the other GOP candidates.
BREAKING NEWS: Santorum Jumps In Arizona, A Bee Flies In Boston.
Anyone else notice that since he received Trump's endorsement, Mittens has fallen faster than Sara Palin's pants at an NBA game?
I love it!
What a fine job the republicans and the democrats are doing in advancing the libertarian movement, keep up the good work.
What is wrong with America? What is so horribly wrong?
Romney has almost everything he needs to win the nomination. He's got the money and a fundraising machine second only to Obama's. He's got the experience. He's got the organization and ground game. He's got the hired expertise. He has the backing of the GOP establishment. He has everything except two small details; a candidate and an issue. He comes across as so much a phony that even the republicans don't want him. And he can't claim anything as an issue because he's been for and against everything. He'll probably win the nomination but live to wish he hadn't.
Santorum doesn't have the most conservative record. He voted for many bills that benefitted unions, not to mention his excessive earmarks.
Has anyone checked into the Ricky Sanatorium? I hope your meds are strong. It is like bible study with Rush Limbaugh..Let's put the bible away and put up some charts to rewrite the facts....Seriously people
Romney leads among women – gee. no kidding!