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Poll: Santorum Holds Lead Over Romney In Pennsylvania GOP Presidential Race

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By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- Rick Santorum leads Mitt Romney in the Pennsylvania Republican presidential primary, according to a new poll.

The Quinnipiac poll shows Santorum leading Romney by six points, 41 percent to 35 percent.

While the race is a lot closer than the school's last poll a few weeks ago (see previous story), this poll measured "likely" Republican voters, while previous Quinnipiac polls surveyed "registered" voters.

And Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, points out that Romney has a big advantage in terms of cash he can spend.

"You have to look at Romney's record of battling through the airwaves, and doing it effectively in other states," Malloy tells KYW Newsradio.  "He pretty much neutralized Newt Gingrich that way; he hurt Santorum in Ohio that way.  You should anticipate some fairly dramatic and -- let's just say 'combative' -- ads in the next three weeks here."

Malloy says the new poll shows Santorum scoring high among evangelicals and those who consider themselves "true conservatives," while Romney leads among moderates.

Santorum leads among men, while women are more evenly split.

 

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