Mitt Romney Leads Rick Santorum in New Poll of Wisconsin

Wisconsin is the big prize up for grabs Tuesday as the Republican presidential hopefuls battle in primaries there and in Maryland and the District of Columbia. A poll released by the Marquette Law School on Tuesday finds that Mitt Romney has a solid lead over Rick Santourm in the Badger State.

The poll has Romney ahead of the pack with 39 percent followed by Santorum with 31 percent. Ron Paul is a distant third with 1 percent while Newt Gingrich is floundering in Wisconsin with 5 percent.

The poll of 349 likely Wisconsin Republican primary voters was taken from March 22-25 and had a margin of error of +/- 5.4 percent.

A Marquette Law School poll of Wisconsin released toward the end of last month found Santorum leading with 34 percent followed by Romney with 18 percent, Paul with 17 percent and Gingrich trailing with 12 percent.

In February Santorum was at the high point of his campaign following wins in Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado," said Charles Franklin, the polling director at Marquette Law School, on Tuesday. Since that time Romney has come from behind to win in Michigan and Ohio, while Santorum has done well in Southern states. Wisconsin represents Santorums most important chance to win another Midwest victory, while for Romney continued success here would set up a showdown in Santorums home state of Pennsylvania.