Pennsylvanians may again end Rick Santorum’s political aspirations
- Share via
Reporting from Washington — In just a month, according to a new poll, Pennsylvania Republican voters have shied away from their former U.S. senator, Rick Santorum, in favor of GOP presidential front-runner Mitt Romney, signaling that Santorum may be in serious danger of losing his home state in its April 24 primary.
Pennsylvanians may end Santorum’s political career. Again.
Santorum and Romney are now statistically tied, 30% to 28%, respectively, among the state’s registered GOP primary voters, according to the poll released by Franklin & Marshall College on Wednesday. It’s a shocking shift from Santorum’s commanding 45%-16% lead over Romney when Franklin & Marshall polled Republicans in February.
In the February poll, about one-third of respondents said they were looking for a candidate with a strong moral character. That has reduced to a quarter of respondents in the more recent survey, with another quarter saying they’re most interested in the candidate who can beat President Obama.
Santorum split the Catholic vote with Romney, but led among born-again Christians and low-income Republicans, the new poll found.
If there’s any silver lining in the poll for Santorum, it’s that his favorability is still the highest among the presidential primary slate. Exactly 54% said they have a positive view of him, compared with 46% strongly or somewhat favorable for Romney.
Original source: Pennsylvanians may end Rick Santorum’s political aspirations again
Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter
Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond. In your inbox twice per week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
