Feb

2012

4:25pm, EST

Two new polls: Santorum surges and now ties Romney

By NBC's Mark Murray

So how much did last week's non-binding caucuses in Colorado and Minnesota, as well as the beauty contest in Missouri, influence the GOP presidential contest?

So much so that Rick Santorum's victories in all three races have catapulted him into an essential tie with Mitt Romney, according to two new national polls.

A Pew Research Center survey, conducted Feb. 8-12 among GOP registered voters, has Santorum at 30%, Romney at 28%, Newt Gingrich at 17%, and Ron Paul at 12%. In a Pew poll a month ago, it was Romney 31%, Gingrich 16%, Paul 15%, and Santorum 14%.

(In general election match-ups, Pew has President Obama leading Romney by eight points, 52%-44%; Santorum by 10, 53%-43%; and Gingrich by 18, 57%-39%.)

And a new Gallup poll, also conducted Feb. 8-12, has Romney at 32% among registered GOP voters, Santorum at 30%, Gingrich at 16%, and Paul at 8%.

A week ago, Santorum was at 16% -- so that's a 14-point increase for him.

Of course, the former Pennsylvania senator now becomes the latest Republican presidential candidate to surge in the national polls, joining the likes of Rick Perry, Herman Cain, and Newt Gingrich.

And it keeps alive this trend: A holding-steady Romney vs. a surging conservative alternative.

Explore related topics: featured, decision-2012, mitt-romney, rick-santorum

Jump to discussion page: 1 2 3 4 ... 9

Jim-372206

Ya gotta love it! ---- They bitch at each other for "cheating on the straw poll" & can't even cheat without screwing up!

These ass clowns conservatives want to run our country with "Let Them Fail" policies?

I'll stick with proved Presidential Leadership ---- OBAMA BIDEN 2012

6 votes

#26 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:27 PM EST

David-3994413

Proven leadership in leading us to ruin.

1 vote

#26.1 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:33 PM EST

hawk-2946882

David-3994413: You have to be talking about a limp congress and all of the republican govenor's along with the tea party scum who want to take this country back 150 years in the past.

3 votes

#26.2 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 7:11 PM EST

Steve-1266803

The Wrong Country ...

Mitt Romney is trying to get elected in the wrong country. If he really wants to be the leader of a nation, he should run for office in the Cayman Islands ... he would be a shoe-in, as he already owns half of the place.

Peace to all

3 votes

#27 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:29 PM EST

Jim-372206

"Severely Conservative" --- He should be strapped to a gurney in a hospital isolation ward

3 votes

#27.1 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:36 PM EST

just blue

Gloria :

There is a bus leaving every 10 minutes for the old country ! You might wish to catch it if you honestly believe the President is doing harm to the country !

4 votes

#28 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:30 PM EST

WhereHasAmericaGone

According to liberals it doesn't matter...Obama will beat anyone nominated...

According to everyone I talk to. Anyone but Obama and I mean everyone I talk to says the same thing. They will support any of the candidates over Obama...

1 vote

#29 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:31 PM EST

David-3994413

According to some here, everyone is a bigot that does not agree with them.

Is calling others "bigots" the only way you liberals can force people to agree with you?

Pretty sad.

#30 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:31 PM EST

hawk-2946882

David-3994413: What is sad is thinking that Bush Jr was smart when he was really dumb as a dead rock and the republicans helping him steal florida so he could be given the election. Now that is being a true bigot.

3 votes

#30.1 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 7:21 PM EST

David-1250323

Doesn't matter if its Santorum, Romney or Gingrich, Obama is going down this Fall.

Obama has lied and flip-flopped on so many issues and promises made during hte never ending campaign that he has less than zero credibility left. Moderate Independents like me aren't going to fall for his BS this time around.

#31 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:32 PM EST

bill-2424558

david do u know anything about politics the president doesnt do anything without a congress thats with him and if u remember they said on day one that there main plan was to make sure he was a one term president ,,,that was before he even took the oath so anything he promised wasnt going to happen either way ,,,he was too black ,not a grey haired white man looking to improve his wealth ,inoil ,gold stocks etc,,,he just wants to help the middle class ,,,if u can do better than be my guess ,,u will proably be like the bush yrs ,,,he got us here and now he is just sitting back laughing at all of us ,,,sometimes i think the gop did it on purpose just so another minority will never be president,,,,consirpicay,,,my badd,,,

#31.1 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 6:04 PM EST

hawk-2946882

David-12503323: You have already fallen for all of that pure B.S that the republicans have been spewing out of their mouth with no facts or real logic behind any of it. the republicans are the biggest undercover racist that are walking around today, and they may as well call themselfves the Ku Klux Klan because they are using the same intellect and con game that took place 150 years ago which is no more than a bitch move to cover up their own fears. The tea party and the republicans have more than alot in common because they are great at hiding behind B.S because unless they are in a pack against one person(president obama) they may as well be called gutless wonder's, if the playing field is even they would run like the cowards they are.

#31.2 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 11:38 PM EST

Steve-3180316

Didn't Santorum bring home his dead child to introduce to his other kids? Are the Republican-voting masses willing to let that, and all the other lunacy he spews, be cast aside? Santorum is akin to the guy you see on the corner of a busy intersection with the placard saying that the end is near except that he does it in a sweater vest. Oh, now I see, that's why the Republicans accept him; it's because he spouts his insanity while dressed in his Sunday's best.

1 vote

#32 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:33 PM EST

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Jim-372206

"Severely Conservative" --- He should be strapped to a gurney in a hospital isolation ward

3 votes

#33 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:33 PM EST

Brad M.

This election is Obama's to lose and the Republicans know it! They have nothing in their candidates because they offer nothing for Americans.

1 vote

#34 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:33 PM EST

richard-3069835

If Reps offered anything it would be 1 more than what Obama has done or will do

1 vote

#34.1 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:55 PM EST

Brad M.

Your operative word is "if", but as the economy continues to improve, Republicans become less relevant, not that they were anyway.

1 vote

#34.2 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:59 PM EST

richard-3069835

Brad at least you agree with me that Obama has done NOTHING

#34.3 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 6:01 PM EST

whymewhyus

obama obama obama obama obama obama obama obama obama obama obama

1 vote

#35 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:35 PM EST

richard-3069835

Obama is just a name!!!! Just as a word is just a word... Obama talks WORDS so strong but they are only words!!! ACTION means everything which Obama has no action in what he SAID he would do which are all lies...

Type is name all you want because I bet Obama does the same every night!!!!

1 vote

#35.1 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:52 PM EST

dman-353357

Obama has no action in what he SAID he would do which are all lies...

Richard - well, let's see...

Said he'd wind down the War in Iraq on schedule - did it.
Said he'd emphasize the War in Afghanistan - did that too.
Didn't say he oversee the capture and killing Osama bin Laden - but he still did it.
Said he pass a health care reform package - and he did (yes, it is a god-awful mess, but it is about what he promised).
Said he continue with stimulus spending to avoid an economic collapse - whoops, he did that too.

I don't know what planet you obamaphobes dwell on, but it must be an awful place. The U.S. is still mired in Iraq. The Karzai government in Kabul just went belly-up. The Taliban is in power there and Osama bin Laden has a daily cable talk-show: "Al Qaeda Tonight". The economy has contracted by 20% since January of 2009 and unemployment is approaching 20%.

Wow!

I'm glad I don't live there.

#35.2 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 9:32 PM EST

JeffCutting

Romney's and empty suit who couldn't tell or recognise the truth if it hit him in the face. Santorum's a loony, bigoted evangelical. They're the perfect ticket for the GOP. Ron Paul is the only passionate truth teller of the bunch. But his ideas are too radical for anything but an independent party/campaign. Which he's about to launch. Romney/Santorum will get the loony religous, tea partier, Fox News watching zealots. Paul will get the disaffected youth, libertarian, anti government people. That splits the different factions on the right. Obama wins the general election without breaking a sweat.

1 vote

#36 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:35 PM EST

IrishNewcomer

The Obama campaign folks must be chortling with glee that the GOP is continuing to self-destruct by flirting with its latest "conservative-du-jour", the junior curate, Sanctus Santorum. Little Ricky has no "gravitas"...no standing with the American people. The latest suggestion of a Romney-Santorum ticket is just crazy. The conservatives may love it, but the American people will reject the combination completely. It's like when GHWBush teamed up with Dan Quayle. Sure, they won, but GHWBush was finished as a result. The presidential election outcome has already been determined and the Republicans are the losers.

1 vote

#37 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:36 PM EST

Bob in Virginia-5210392

Irish, you are spending too much time on the Obama poodle network MSNBC, and the deluded leftists in First Read, if you think the election is over.

Stay tuned.

1 vote

#37.1 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:44 PM EST

WhereHasAmericaGone

Truth be known, if not for Ross Perot...We would never know the name of Monica Lewinsky...

Besides, if it were Romney/Santorum as you reference them to Bush/Quayle. They only have to win once to rid us of Obama...

Then if that happens, maybe Hillary can be President...

#37.2 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:51 PM EST

MM-584706

WhereHasAmericaGone Where is Monica ? What has become of her ? Has anyone seen her lately, or at least the top of her head ?

#37.3 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 7:00 PM EST

dman-353357

Besides, if it were Romney/Santorum as you reference them to Bush/Quayle. They only have to win once to rid us of Obama...

Yup, and I only have to knock out Alexander Povetkin once to become the WBA Heavyweight Champion.

But it'll never happen and, as things stand now, neither Romney, Gingrich, Santorum nor Paul are going to beat Obama in November.

BTW: Is anybody else shocked that both claimants for the heavyweight title are from former parts of the old Soviet Union?

#37.4 - Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:47 PM EST

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whymewhyus

obama obama obama obama obama obama obama obama obama obama obama

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obama obama obama obama obama obama obama obama obama obama obama

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#38 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:41 PM EST

bill wilson-3558999

The one item in favor of Santorum is that, as far as i can see, he does not flaunt money and seems to be semi honest not dodging straight answers such as Romney.

I think Romney's words about his father are a bit overstated as his father headed up

American Motors and look where they ended up. Romney remids me of Chas. Dickens character, the Artful Dodger. Of course, Obama spouts great rhetoric

but hasn't done anything but talk.

#39 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:43 PM EST

MM-584706

bill wilson-3558999....agree, he is the least obnoxious, but Americans will not want him inflicting his religious beliefs on them.

#39.1 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 7:02 PM EST

WhereHasAmericaGone

The only GOP candidate the liberals will ever like will need to have a D behind his name...

That's why no one pays them any attention anymore...

Besides, the liberals hate everyone...

1 vote

#40 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:45 PM EST

ltcommander72

That frothy Scrotorum is surging again?

1 vote

#41 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:47 PM EST

mrpotatohead-2258438

ltcommander72 --- you said it. scrotorium's surge could get quite messy.

#41.1 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:52 PM EST

Barry Ellis

ROMNEY, SANTORUM JUST STOP WITH YOU DID THIS YOU DID THAT GET IT DONE AND FOCUS ON THE ISSUE'S. THE SPENDING HAS TO STOP, WE NEED TO STOP BEING THE POLICE OF THE WORLD AND FOCUS ON OUR BODERS AND PUT OUR PEOPLE TO WORK SO WHEN THE CRAP HITS THE FAN WE WILL BE READY. These 6th, 7th, 8th, generation welfare individual who won't find a job enough either get off your collective butts and get to work or no more hand outs. People who are getting the help due to the economy because of the debt that O'bama, Pelosi and other's who have put us in this mess It's time to FIRE THE DEMOCRATS AND PUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BACK TO WORK. Stop the immigration reforms again because its another election year and O'bama you want votes.

#42 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:48 PM EST

ltcommander72

Read Mexicans, Welfare, Hand outs, Debt Obama put us in, put Americans back to work, more Mexicans, and finally impending doom.

Yup real leadership here folks.

1 vote

#42.1 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:51 PM EST

bill-2424558

barry please see past urself and know that people dont want to be on social services ,it just that way look at some other countries whee just about everyone is on the governments dime.. people have to eat ,people have o have a place to sleep ,,please barry its not a political thing its a human rights thing ,,be more smypathic ,ur church and God will honor u more with love in ur heart instead of all that hatered

#42.2 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:56 PM EST

rlb43

The next election is about Dictatorship versus Democracy.

#43 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:50 PM EST

ltcommander72

Oh right. The sky is falling. Better hitch up your high water pants.

1 vote

#43.1 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:52 PM EST

bill-2424558

and the drama continues ,,AS THE GOP TURNS which way will romney turn this week ,his head will be spinning come super tuesday,,i dont think he will know who to fight for during that time ,,,maybe we could buy him some new flip flops after super tuesday....and by the way whats up with the catholics of this counrty ,,they will fight against birth control for women but they hide sex abuse by their clergy on kids ,,,God sees all catholics and the gop such a great partnership

#44 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:51 PM EST

Alice C. Renteriavia Facebook

bill 2424558 your right about the catholic church they do hide sexual abuse of children both boys and girls . yet brith control is a sin ya right.

1 vote

#44.1 - Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:33 AM EST

J. Camp-1109014

Two new polls: Santorum surges and now ties Romney

Proof positive that the only thing surging in the GOP is the load in their pantaloons.

1 vote

#45 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:52 PM EST

hummbird-3359530

Where- I suggest you leave the trailer park, and actually talk to some other people. Or maybe people don't want to argue with you, WherehasAmericaGone? Right there with get Americas soul back, etc etc all the hyperbolic rhetoric the GOP/baggers use! Liberals hate everyone? LOL Obama/Biden 2012

#46 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:53 PM EST

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Mike Brown-5225003

I find it quite funny how you leave Ron Paul out this part. Why is that???

"(In general election match-ups, Pew has President Obama leading Romney by eight points, 52%-44%; Santorum by 10, 53%-43%; and Gingrich by 18, 57%-39%.)"

1 vote

#47 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:54 PM EST

ltcommander72

Cause he doesn't count and has no chance?

2 votes

#47.1 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:55 PM EST

Mike Brown-5225003

so why mention him everywhere else?

#47.2 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:59 PM EST

Brad M.

About Ron Paul not getting any love, don't blame anyone but the social conservatives that hijacked his libertarian TEA Party movement. If he's irrelevant to the Republican base, what makes anyone think he's relevant at large when he continues to run as a Republican?

I think he's using the GOP caucus process to get payback and I will gladly root him on with the payback.

#47.3 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 6:02 PM EST

CHESTER1

Heard the D's were going to run an Anthony Wiener/Eric Holder ticket in 2012.

Think about the bumper sticker business; it will explode! Talk about job creation!

Wiener/Holder 2012!!!

#48 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:54 PM EST

Jimmy-1104097

I really don't care who is President. it's the Congress that make the laws, and these idiots (both parties) we have now are just not doing their jobs. Vote out all incumbants and let's start over. Let's return to this country to the people and by the people. while we're at it, let's go to a flat tax on everyone.

#49 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:54 PM EST

ltcommander72

I would rather outlaw lobbyists and keep our tax codes as they are....for now.

1 vote

#49.1 - Mon Feb 13, 2012 6:05 PM EST

ltcommander72

Should be interesting to see which ass clown finally falls out of the Shriner VW racing around in the GOP Big Top? Blinking in to the spot light with big floppy shoes and a big red nose.