(already subscribe? log in).

Poll: Rick Santorum leading Mitt Romney in Michigan

THIS STORY APPEARED IN

February 15, 2012|By Shira Schoenberg

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney campaigned in Mesa, Arizona,… (Eric Thayer/Getty Images )

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is trying to blunt criticism over his position on the auto industry bailout, as he struggles to fend off his surging rival Rick Santorum in Michigan.

The Romney campaign is looking to Michigan, which holds its primary Feb. 28, to end Santorum’s momentum, after the former Pennsylvania senator won non-binding contests in Missouri, Colorado, and Minnesota. Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, won the Michigan primary in 2008. His father, George Romney, was an auto industry executive and Michigan governor. Mitt Romney grew up in the state.

But polling released today from the American Research Group found Santorum leading Romney in Michigan among likely Republican primary voters, 33 percent to 27 percent. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich would come in third with 21 percent, followed by Texas Representative Ron Paul with 12 percent. Santorum’s lead is even stronger among those who say they will definitely vote in the GOP primary.

Santorum has been strengthened by a wave of support among Tea Party voters, and 37 percent of Tea Party supporters in Michigan said they favored Santorum, compared to 17 percent for Romney. Romney led among non-Tea Party supporters, with 35 percent. Republicans heavily favored Santorum, while independents would choose Romney. Men tended to prefer Santorum, while women liked Romney.

The Michigan poll is consistent with other national polls. A New York Times/CBS News poll this morning also put Santorum ahead of Romney nationally, with Santorum getting 30 percent support among Republican primary voters compared to 27 percent for Romney. The New York Times reported that Santorum’s surge is propelled by support from conservatives, evangelical Christians, and Tea Party supporters.

The ARG poll of 600 likely Republican primary voters was conducted Feb. 11-12 and has a margin of error of 4 percentage points. The New York Times poll of 331 Republican primary or caucus voters was conducted Feb. 8-13 and has a margin of error of 5 percentage points.

Perhaps Romney’s biggest Achilles heel in Michigan, home of the auto industry, is an op-ed he wrote in the New York Times in 2008 entitled “Let Detroit Go Bankrupt.” “If General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye,” Romney wrote.

Romney argued that the automakers will not make necessary changes to their businesses – such as reducing workers’ pay and benefits and recruiting new management - if they are bailed out. Rather, he said, they should go through a managed bankruptcy.