Romney holds four-point lead over Santorum in latest Arizona poll

Mitt Romney is clinging to a four-point lead over Rick Santorum in Arizona one week before the state’s Feb. 28 primary, according to a new CNN/ORC poll released Tuesday.

That number largely mirrors a Public Policy Polling survey also released Tuesday that showed Romney with a three-percentage-point advantage. In both surveys, Romney earned 36 percent of likely Republican voters, with Santorum capturing 32 percent of those who responded to the CNN/ORC poll. Newt Gingrich earned 18 percent, while Ron Paul trailed with 6 percent.

{mosads}As with previous polls of Arizona — and the GOP nationally — Romney’s strength lies with women, centrists and the wealthier and more educated portions of the party. Romney holds a 5 percent lead among women, 7 percent lead among college graduates and a 15 percent lead among those neutral to or against the Tea Party movement. More Phoenix-area voters break for Romney than any other GOP candidate.

Santorum, meanwhile, did best among born-again Christians — among whom he led Romney 37 percent to 28 percent — and Tea Party supporters. The candidates were essentially tied among self-identified conservatives and “blue collar” voters.

Arizona and Michigan will vote next Tuesday in a pivotal pair of primaries that will show the extent to which Santorum has coalesced conservative, anti-Romney support around his campaign. The presidential candidates will debate Wednesday in Arizona.