Louisiana, which will have 46 delegates at the Republican convention in Tampa come August, holds its presidential primary on Saturday and Rick Santorum appears to have an impressive lead in the Pelican State.
A Rasmussen Reports poll of likely Louisiana Republican primary voters unveiled Thursday finds Santorum ahead of the pack with 43 percent, while Mitt Romney places second with 31 percent. Newt Gingrich places third with 16 percent and Ron Paul trails with 5 percent. Five percent are undecided and 1 percent back other candidates.
The poll of 750 likely Louisiana GOP primary voters was taken March 21 and had a margin of error of +/- 4 percent.
This poll is bad news for Gingrich, who has won two states in the South -- South Carolina and his home base of Georgia. A poll from Magellan Strategies released earlier in the week showed Santorum leading with 31 percent, while Gingrich and Romney tied for second with 24 percent apiece.
After his win in Illinois on Tuesday, Romney is bringing out some of Louisianas top Republicans. U.S. Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La., made the case for Romney late Wednesday.
By lowering taxes and reducing burdensome regulations, Louisiana small businesses will flourish and our energy sector will help us become less reliant on foreign oil, Alexander said. I support Governor Romney because our country cant afford four more years of President Obama and his failed policies, and we need Governor Romney to turn things around. I urge all Louisianans who want a conservative businessman and proven leader in the White House to support Mitt Romney on Saturday.
Romney also unveiled the support of 13 Louisiana Republicans, including eight state legislators, who are backing his candidacy.
Santorum trotted out the Duggar family, the stars of TLCs 19 Kids and Counting reality series, on Thursday. They campaigned for Santorum in West Monroe and Lafayette on Thursday. Santorum himself will be crossing the Pelican State on Friday, with events scheduled in West Monroe, Shreveport and Pineville.
Gingrich shows no signs of going down in Louisiana without a fight. On Thursday, he made national and local media appearances and hit Houma and Baton Rouge. On Friday, Gingrich is scheduled to campaign in Port Fourchon, Kenner and New Orleans.
On Thursday, the team behind Gingrich insisted that they have a solid organization in Louisiana -- even as the Rasmussen poll shows him fading in the Pelican State.
Gingrichs efforts in Louisiana are led by Charlie Buckels, the current vice chairman of the state GOP. Buckels has the state divided into regions and said on Thursday that the team he leads will help Gingrich on Saturday.
We have organized the most aggressive and experienced political team in Louisiana politics from grassroots and retail political organizers to great strategic thinkers, Buckels said. We are bringing Newts message of an aggressive energy policy with $2.50 a gallon gas, along with conservative family values, to the state. The more people get to know Newt, they realize that he is the one to help lead this country back to prosperity.
Paul will hit Louisiana on Friday, when he is scheduled to speak at town hall events in Pineville and Hammond.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
