US News

Poison Penn. for Santorum

WASHINGTON — Rick Santorum has jumped off the campaign trail to catch his breath for a few days — just as a new poll spells trouble for him in his home state.

The Public Policy Polling survey shows Mitt Romney with his first lead there, 42 percent to 37 percent.

Romney has shot up 17 points — he had just 25 percent in the Keystone State a month ago — while Santorum has dropped 6 points ahead of the April 24 primary.

A separate Rasmussen poll gave Santorum a 4-point lead.

Still coasting after a three-state sweep on Tuesday, Romney, who has built a commanding delegate lead, stumped in Harrisburg, Pa., yesterday and put the burden squarely on Santorum to win at home.

“I think everybody expects someone to win their home state,” Romney said. “Newt Gingrich won his state; I won my state. I think people expect the senator to win his home state.”

Romney vowed to “pick up a lot of delegates” even if Santorum wins, and said he hopes to take the other contests on April 24, which include New York, saying it would give him an “even stronger lead.”

Santorum is taking a four-day break from the hustings, while Romney is taking off three days over Easter weekend.

Santorum huddled with conservative advisers in Virginia as he tries to plot a strategy forward after losing to Romney in Wisconsin, Maryland, and Washington, DC, April 3.

“Most of us don’t think we need small course corrections, we need to come up with some big, bold ideas,” Republican strategist Richard Viguerie told Politico.com.

Romney has opened up a 33-point lead over Santorum in New York, where he is certain to pad his delegate lead, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll.

“It absolutely appears that Romney will be the nominee,” said Pennsylvania GOP Chairman Robert Gleason, a Romney backer.

Additional reporting by Carl Campanile