Romney’s lead over Santorum narrows ahead of Illinois vote

The heartland state of Illinois is the next test today in the Republican party’s presidential nominating contest and one that would seem tailor-made for moderate front-runner Mitt Romney.

But polls show him with only a narrow lead over the deeply conservative Rick Santorum, who has caught the imagination of the right wing of the party and turned the nomination battle into an extended fight that threatens party unity before the November election.

Mr Romney was expected to do best in the wide arc of Chicago suburbs. But Mr Santorum finds significant support downstate, where voters find more in common on social issues with their conservative neighbours to the south.