By Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press –
WASHINGTON — Two new polls suggest the race for the Michigan primary has swung to Mitt Romney’s advantage heading into the final weekend before the election — but his lead is slim.
Rasmussen Reports released a poll Friday that showed Romney leading former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum 40 percent-34 percent.
Michigan and Arizona vote Tuesday. A loss for Romney, former governor of Massuchetts, in Michigan — where he was born and raised as the son of an auto executive turned governor — could be devastating.
Rasmussen polled 750 likely Republican primary voters Thursday, the day after Santorum, Romney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas debated in Arizona. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Rasmussen did not release results for Gingrich and Paul.
Mitchell Research/Rosetta Stone of Lansing released a poll late Thursday showing Romney leading Santorum 36 percent-33 percent in Michigan.
Mitchell Research President Steve Mitchell said Romney had cut deeply into Santorum’s previous lead among tea party voters, evangelical Christians and conservatives.
Paul had 12 percent and Gingrich 9 percent. The pollsters surveyed 430 likely Republican primary voters and the poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.7 percentage points.
