Poll: Santorum leads in Pennsylvania
(CNN) –- A new poll released Wednesday indicates Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum is leading by a wide margin in his home state of Pennsylvania.
The former two-term senator from the Keystone State has the backing of 36% of registered Republicans, while 22% say they would vote for rival Mitt Romney.
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According to the Quinnipiac University survey, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas comes in third place with 12% and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich takes fourth with 8%. Eighteen percent are undecided.
Prior to being elected to the Senate in 1994, Santorum first represented the state as a congressman for two terms. He later lost his 2006 Senate re-election bid by 18 percentage points to Democrat Bob Casey Jr.
Wednesday’s poll was conducted entirely before Santorum pulled a southern sweep winning Tuesday’s primaries in Alabama and Mississippi, besting Romney and Gingrich, the two candidates who previously topped the polls ahead of the two Deep South contests.
In a hypothetical match up with Romney alone, Santorum holds a 20-point advantage of 52% to Romney’s 32%. In a contest with President Barack Obama, however, Santorum is statistically tied with the president, 44% to Obama’s 45%.
The poll also shows good news for Santorum in terms of the women’s vote, a base he has struggled with in recent months. Among Pennsylvania women, Santorum takes 41%, while Romney falls behind at 18%.
Pennsylvania holds its Republican primary on April 24.
Quinnipiac surveyed 508 Republicans by telephone from March 7 to March 13. The poll has a sampling error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
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"You're right. Santorum reminds me more of Mussolini than Hitler."
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Ya just gotta love these "empathetic", "educated", "take the high road", "big tent" democrats, eh?
Sue, you sound uneducated. Do you know how many educated people lost their jobs in Michigan? Lots of them. And for you to say we sit at home and party shows just how ignorant you are. I was out day in and day out as were many others applying for any and every job. Most people that collect unemployment do it because it is their last resort. And it is the only way to keep their roofs over their head. Thanks to the rethugs, I lost my very good job as did plenty others, most of whom were white. Do you think they were asking for handouts too? I hope another rethug is ever voted in for anything.
OBAMA 2012!
sbssue1 – "Everyone on food stamps and unemployed?" "...stayat home and party?" must be speaking of your self.92% of Americans are working. I don't know where you live, but even in CA with higher than average unemployment, people are in the stores, buying cars and traveling. Things aren't great- but America is fine and only getting better.
Now, since you claim to be supporting all the unemployed, it's time for you to pay a fair tax rate. If you are paying the top rate of 35% after deductions- congratulations! You are probably doing so on income close to 1 million dollars! yuo can afford to pay the rate set back in the 90's and get this country out of debt.
Oh, no! Mittens is behind. You know what that means – we're going to be seing him in Omish clothes driving a horse and buggy.
Thanks Rudy. I didn't think I lost my mind yet; but I know wrong when I see it. Why do people like you and me have to support all those low life people who don't want to do their share? Oh, Robin Hood, Santorum wants to rob from the rich and give to the poor. A vote for Santorum, is a vote for Obama in the fall. The FEDs are out of money too. Now What Folks? Get jobs, manufacturing back in the country and drill and put people back to work. Those getting hand outs should be doing community work to help out. Clean the Parks, sweep the streets, etc. Wake Up People, that's what we've got to do.
Wake up People: There are jobs if you want them. Most don't want them because one gets more on unemployment. I have a bit more education than you might think! I wish you luck in your future job.
Fair, we are just being fair, truthful and balanced. As to your comment questioning our empathy, education and morals, I suggest you examine the demograpics as to who is driving the GOP nominating process before you attempt to ridicule us. We are the big tent, we do have empathy for our fellow man, we are better educated,and we do take the high road. As far as Santorum being a fascist, I say it fits: he certainly checks all the boxes, and he does not apologize for doing so.