Survey: Obama leading over GOP hopefuls

WASHINGTON -- A surging Rick Santorum is running even with Mitt Romney atop the Republican presidential field, but neither candidate is faring well against President Barack Obama eight months before Americans vote, a new survey shows.

Obama tops 50 percent support when matched against each of the four GOP candidates and holds a significant lead over each of them, according to The Associated Press-GfK poll.

Republicans are divided on Romney or Santorum, with Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul lagging. It's a troubling sign for the better-funded Romney ahead of crucial votes in his home state of Michigan, in Arizona and in an array of states on Super Tuesday, March 6.

The poll found 33 percent would most like to see Santorum get the nomination, while 32 percent prefer Romney. Gingrich and Paul each had 15 percent support.

Romney's fall from presumed front-runner to struggling establishment favorite has given his opponents an opening as he tries to expand his support. Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator and abortion foe, has hit his stride at a key moment in the nomination contest.

Santorum's spike comes as satisfaction with the field of candidates remains tepid and interest in the contest cools.

Obama holds an 8-point lead over Romney, 9 points over Santorum and 10 points over Gingrich or Paul, the survey found.

The poll was conducted Feb. 16-20. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. -- AP