Former Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) was still up in the Michigan Republican presidential primary before Wednesday night’s CNN debate in Arizona. A new American Research Group poll of the Great Lakes State showed Santorum with 38 percent, while former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is close behind with 34. Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) gets 12 and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich sees seven.
The numbers, as has been the case through the 2012 cycle, are essentially dependent on where the conservative bloc of the party stands.
“Santorum leads with 49% among likely Republican primary voters saying they are supporters of the Tea Party, followed by Romney with 31%, Paul with 8%, and Gingrich with 5%,” ARG pollsters wrote. “Among likely primary voters saying they are not supporters of the Tea Party or are undecided about the Tea Party, Romney leads with 36%, followed by Santorum with 30%, Paul with 14%, and Gingrich with 8%.”
The current TPM Poll Average of the Michigan GOP primary shows Santorum with a slight lead.
