Poll: Romney, Santorum and Paul tied with Obama

Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul are all within the margin of error in head-to-head match-ups against President Obama, while Newt Gingrich trails by nine points, according to the latest daily presidential tracking survey from conservative polling outlet Rasmussen.

The president leads Romney 46 percent to 45 percent, leads Santorum 46 percent to 44 percent and leads Paul 45 percent to 42 percent.

The margin of error, according to Rasmussen, is three points.

Gingrich fares worst of the GOP candidates against Obama, trailing 49 percent to 41 percent.

The Santorum campaign has tried to position itself as the more viable conservative alternative to Romney, saying Gingrich had his chance to be that candidate but “couldn’t deliver.”

After a convincing victory in the South Carolina primary last week, Gingrich, and the rest of the GOP candidates, were thumped by Romney in Tuesday’s Florida primary.

Santorum’s communications director, Hogan Gidley, in a statement cited the Rasmussen poll as evidence that his candidate is a viable conservative alternative to Romney.

“We now have empirical data that proves conservatives do not need to settle for a moderate like Mitt Romney to defeat Barack Obama,” Gidley said. “Today's Rasmussen poll is just more evidence that Rick Santorum is best positioned to win the Republican nomination and defeat Barack Obama this fall.”

Santorum and Paul will need strong showings in some of the smaller, caucus states in February. Santorum has won the only caucus-style election so far this year, nipping Romney in Iowa by a mere 34 votes.

Santorum campaigned in Colorado on Wednesday, where he picked up a few key endorsements, including that of former GOP presidential contender Tom Tancredo.

Paul has focused on Nevada, where he has gone after the Mormon voter that helped carry Romney to a 40-point victory in the 2008 GOP primary.

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