7 February 2012
Last updated at 19:59 ET
The Romney campaign has struggled to shake doubts about his candidacy among conservatives
Mitt Romney has been fighting off a surging Rick Santorum as voters in three US states gather to pick a Republican presidential nominee.
Social conservative Mr Santorum was the pollsters’ favourite in Minnesota and Missouri’s contests, although Mr Romney is expected to win in Colorado.
Mr Romney, whose credentials are distrusted by some conservatives, was trying to lower expectations.
The eventual nominee will go on to face Barack Obama in November’s election.
Newt Gingrich, still Mr Romney’s main challenger, has campaigned lightly in the three states voting on Tuesday, and does not even appear on Missouri’s ballot.
In Minnesota and Missouri – states with significant blocs of Tea Party and evangelical Christian voters respectively – Mr Santorum has been gaining ground.
A Public Policy Polling survey on Tuesday placed him on 33% in Minnesota, ahead of Mr Romney by nine percentage points, and on 45% in Missouri,
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