NBC News/Marist poll Has Rick Santorum & Mitt Romney Virtual Tie in Battle Ground State of Ohio

A new Marist/NBC News poll just days ahead of Super Tuesday and the all important GOP Ohio Primary has the Buckeye state in a virtual tie between Rick Santorum and Mitt Tomney, 34% to 32%. The poll shows that a majority of likely GOP primary voters view Romney as the Republican candidate with the best chance of defeating President Obama in November 2012. By a 57%  to 36% margin likely GOP primary voters prefer electability over ideology.

Two days until Super Tuesday and the pivotal Ohio Republican presidential primary, Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney are running neck and neck in the Buckeye State, according to a new NBC News/Marist poll conducted Feb. 29 – March 2.

Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator, gets the support of 34 percent of likely GOP primary voters, and Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, gets 32 percent.

Full poll results can be seen HERE.

Another recent Rasmussen poll showed that Mitt Romney was closing fast in Ohio on Santorum. Momentum is obviously on the side of Romney heading into Ohio and Super Tuesday.

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GOP Presidential Primary: Mitt Romney Wins Washington State Caucuses

WASHINGTON STATE CAUCUS …

With 58% of the reporting, Mitt Romney leads with 36.3%, Ron Paul is in second with 24.6% , Rick Santorum is in third 24.5% with and Newt Gingrich is in fourth with 11.3%. CNN has projects the Washington state caucus for Mitt Romney.

CBS News has also called the race for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.

With 3,866 of 6,785 precincts counted so far, Romney has 36 percent of the vote. Rep. Ron Paul and former Senator Rick Santorum are in a close race for second and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is a distance fourth.

The state has 40 delegates at stake, but the caucus votes are technically non-binding. CBS News estimates the potential delegate breakdown based on results from the caucus process. Today’s caucuses are the start of a process in the state to award delegates to the Republican National Convention in Tampa.

Caucus result totals can be seen at the the Washington State Republican Party’s Precinct Caucus website.

It would appear Romney has cruises to a rather easy victory in Washington state and has the momentum heading into Super Tuesday with five wins in a row; tonight’s  Washington state caucus win and  the recent victories in the Maine Caucus, Wyoming and  victories in Arizona and Michigan.

Mitt Romney Surging in Polls in Ohio … Romney Now Up Big in Rasmussen National Poll 40% to Santorum’s 24%

What a difference a couple of primary wins in Michigan and Arizona make. There has been a huge shift in the polls.

According to the most recent Rasmussen poll, Romney is up 16 points with 40% of the vote over second place Santorum at 24%. Just a couple of weeks ago it was Santorum 39%, Romney 27%.  Romney is on a roll.

In Ohio, the Rasmussen poll is basically a dead heat with Santorum holding a slim lead over Romney of 33% to 31%. However, the trending is all on the side of Romney. Ohio will prove to be an important primary state on Super Tuesday and if Romney is victorious, the GOP presidential race just might be over.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Primary Voters in Ohio, taken last night, shows former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum attracting 33% of the vote and Mitt Romney earning 31%. That’s a significant tightening of the race. Two weeks ago,  Santorum led Romney by 18 percentage points.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is now in third place with 15% of the vote, and Texas Congressman Ron Paul runs last with 11% support. Two percent (2%) prefer another candidate, and eight percent (8%) remain undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

GOP Presidential Primary: Mitt Romney Sweeps Night, Victorious in Michigan and Arizona

ROMNEY WINS MICHIGAN AND ARIZONA PRIMARIES …

What was touted by many political pundits as a potential nightmare evening for Mitt Romney, in the end Romney won the primaries in both Michigan and Arizona. It was a runaway victory in Arizona; however, Michigan was a much closer race. But was it?Romney topped Santorum in AZ, 47% to 26%. Romney’s victory in Michigan over Santorum was a much closer tally at a 41% to 38% margin. But was it really that close in Michigan? Not really, as Democrats who voted in the GOP primary went for Santorum heavily. There is no way these folks would ever vote for a Republican against the GOP Presidential candidate.

Romney wins Michigan and Arizona by this much …

The victory by Mr. Romney in Arizona, which awarded him the state’s entire allotment of 29 delegates, was overshadowed by the battle in Michigan. He prevailed in the statewide popular vote by four percentage points, relying on large margins in the counties around Detroit where he spent his childhood, but the fight for delegates was closer.

Michigan awards its 30 delegates by Congressional district, which meant Mr. Santorum would either leave Michigan with nearly the same number as Mr. Romney or only slightly fewer. Mr. Santorum beamed when he took the stage before a cheering crowd in Grand Rapids and reminded his supporters of how far he had come.

Exit polls in Michigan say …

Just curious, if Obama won a state by a close margin, after having won so many in 2008 by a large margin … would the liberal MSM call the victory ugly? Of course not. If any one made such a comment, the liberal press would be posting articles that the GOP called Obama ugly.

In the end, a wins is a win and its onto the next state …

GOP Presidential Primary: Arizona Governor Jan Brewer Endorses Mitt Romney

This morning on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Arizona Governor Jan Brewer endorsed Mitt Romney ahead on next week’s Arizona primary. Currently, Romney leads in the RCP average polling in Arizona by 10.7%. Arizona hosts its primary, along with Michigan, this coming Tuesday.

Brewer said she viewed Romney as the most electable candidate to challenge President Obama this fall, and that she made her conclusion after meeting with the candidates and after a debate this week in Arizona.

“I have decided that I am going to publicly endorse Mitt Romney. I think he’s the man that can carry the day,” Brewer said. “I think Mitt is by far the person who can go in and win.”