Two US polls show a Santorum surge

New York, Feb.14 (ANI): Two new national polls suggest that Rick Santorum is moving ahead of Mitt Romney insofar as Republican voters are concerned.

A survey conducted from Wednesday through Sunday by the Pew Research Center shows Santorum with 30 percent of the vote among Republican and Republican-leaning voters, virtually tied with Mr. Romney, who has 28 percent.

According to the New York Times, a separate national poll by Gallup also conducted over the same period, indicates a similar surge for Santorum.

Both men are essentially tied, with Romney at 32 percent and Santorum at 30 percent.

The Pew survey shows conservative voters expressing doubts about Romney's commitment to their causes.

"Santorum is now the clear favorite of Republican and G.O.P.-leaning voters who agree with the Tea Party, as well as white evangelical Republicans," the Pew survey found.

"Currently, 42 percent of Tea Party Republican voters favor Santorum, compared with just 23 percent who back Romney.

Santorum holds an almost identical advantage among white evangelical Republican voters (41 percent to 23 percent)."

The Pew survey asked all voters nationwide about the general election. In head-to-head match-ups with President Obama, both Santorum and Romney come out behind, according to the survey.

Obama, the poll survey said, would beat Romney 52 percent to 44 percent, and Santorum 53 percent to 43 percent.

The Pew Poll was based on interviews conducted by land line and cell phone with 1,172 registered voters of whom 552 were Republicans or independents who leaned Republican.

The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4 percentage points for voters and 5 points for Republican and Republican leaners.

The Gallup results are based on telephone interviews conducted with 1,162 registered Republican and Independent voters, and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. (ANI)