With Arizona and Michigan holding presidential primaries on Tuesday, former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts is in solid shape to win both states according to polls unveiled on Friday -- leading chief primary rival former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania to turn up the heat.
Romney was born in Michigan, where his father George Romney served as governor during the 1960s. He did well there in the 2008 Republican presidential primary, beating John McCain by 9 percent. After winning contests in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri earlier in the month, Santorum leapfrogged Romney in Michigan polls.
Two polls released on Friday show Romney has regained his footing in Michigan. A Mitchell/Rosetta Stone poll of Michigan finds Romney ahead in the Great Lakes state with 36 percent, followed by Santorum with 33 percent, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas with 12 percent and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich with 9 percent. Making up 11 percent of those surveyed, undecideds in Michigan can still tip the final outcome.
The poll of 430 likely Michigan Republican primary voters was taken Feb. 23 and had a margin of error of +/- 4.7 percent.
Romney does even better in a poll of Michigan released by Rasmussen Reports on Friday. Taking 40 percent in the poll of likely primary voters, Romneys lead over Santorum -- who finishes second with 34 percent -- is larger than the margin of error. The poll of 750 likely Michigan Republican primary voters was taken Feb. 23 and had a margin of error of +/- 4 percent.
Romney has built a solid lead over Santorum in Arizona, according to a poll released by Rasmussen Reports.
The poll of likely primary voters has Romney taking 42 percent, while Santorum places second with 29 percent. Gingrich garners 16 percent, while Paul lags in single digits with 8 percent. One percent back other candidates. According to the poll, there are not enough undecided voters for Santorum to catch up -- only 3 percent of those surveyed are undecided.
The poll of 750 likely Republican primary voters was taken on Feb. 23 and had a margin of error of +/- 4 percent.
The candidates made their last final pitch to Michigan voters on Friday and both sides launched new attack ads.
Romney unveiled an ad, taking aim at Santorums conservative credentials, reminding Michigan voters that he backed liberal Republican Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania.
Santorum fired back with a new ad, hammering Romneys economic record.
"The differences between Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney couldn't be greater, said Hogan Gidley, a spokesman for Santorum, on Friday.Mitt Romney took the unprincipled position of supporting the bailout of his friends on Wall Street while abandoning his 'hometown' of Detroit. Rick Santorum is a principled conservative that believes that free markets and free people are what grows our economy. Rick's Made-in-the-USA plan will revive areas like Michigan hardest hit by the Obama administration's encroachment on freedom."
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
