Romney, Santorum Tied in Ohio

Ohio is by most accounts the most important prize at stake in next week's Super Tuesday voting, and right now it's too close to call, says a new poll from Quinnipiac University. The survey has Rick Santorum at 35% and Mitt Romney at 31%, within the margin of error, followed by Newt Gingrich (17%) and Ron Paul (12%). That's actually bad news for Santorum: He held a 7-point lead earlier this week, but Romney apparently gained momentum from his wins in Michigan and Arizona.

It's "clearly a two-man race," says a Quinnipiac official. "A third of the electorate say they still might change their mind. With five days until Super Tuesday, they certainly will be exposed to enough negative television ads to provide fodder for those who might want to switch—or switch off." Ohio has an open primary, meaning independents and Democrats can vote, notes CNN. Maybe we'll see a return of this strategy? (More Super Tuesday polling: Click to see how Romney's doing in Virginia.)