Mitt Romney Closes in on Rick Santorum in Pennsylvania

According to a new poll, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is closing in on GOP rival Rick Santorum in his own backyard -- delegate-rich Pennsylvania. The Keystone State, which will bring 72 delegates to the Republican convention in Tampa come August, holds its primary on April 24 along with four other states in the region -- Connecticut, Delaware, New York and Rhode Island.

Santorum leads a Franklin and Marshall College poll of Pennsylvania Republicans unveiled on Wednesday, but Romney is within the margin of error. Santorum takes 30 percent with Romney right on his heels with 28 percent. Ron Paul stands in distant third with 9 percent followed by Newt Gingrich with 6 percent.

A Franklin and Marshall poll of Pennsylvania taken in February found Santorum leading with 45 percent followed by Romney with 16 percent, Gingrich with 9 percent and Paul with 6 percent.

The poll of 505 registered Pennsylvania Republicans was taken from March 20-25 and had a margin of error of +/- 4.2 percent.