Polls Show Santorum and Romney in Dead Heat

Three polls in two days, showing slightly different numbers but agreeing on a central theme: Rick Santorum has drawn into a tie with Mitt Romney:

CBS: Santorum 30, Romney 28, Paul 12, Gingrich 10.

Pew: Santorum 30, Romney 28. A month ago, Santorum  was barely a factor at 16%

Gallup: Romney 32, Santorum 30.

Santorum’s rise is due to his gaining traction with Tea Party supporters, social conservatives and evangelicals. Romney’s gaffes — “I’m not concerned about the very poor,” I was “severely conservative,” — haven’t helped him sell his “inevitable” and “electable” bromides. Romney may have been holding out hope that wins in Maine and Michigan would turn things around for him, but the weekend win in Maine hasn’t altered the race dynamics, and he has actually fallen six points behind Santorum in Michigan. Michigan’s primary is February 28.