One poll shows Santorum ahead in Ala.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 8 (UPI) -- A poll released on the eve of Rick Santorum's first campaign visit to Alabama indicates he has a slim lead in the state's Republican presidential primary.

Almost a third of those asked remained undecided. Alabama and Mississippi hold Republican primaries Tuesday.

The former Pennsylvania U.S. senator is favored by 22.7 percent of likely Republican voters, the statewide poll conducted by Alabama State University's Center for Leadership and Public Policy indicated.

Santorum, was scheduled to make appearances Thursday in Huntsville and Mobile, The Birmingham (Ala.) News reported.

Mitt Romney was the choice of 18.7 percent and Newt Gingrich, from neighboring Georgia, had 13.8 percent.

The poll did not ask voters about Texas Congressman Ron Paul.

The News said the telephone survey of 470 likely GOP voters indicated 29.8 remained undecided and 15 percent said they support other candidates.

The poll was conducted March 1 -- prior to the Super Tuesday vote March 6 that helped Romney and Santorum claim leadership in the race. Romney has a total of 415 delegates and Santorum 176.

The News said Gingrich, with 105 delegates, canceled campaign plans in Kansas to focus on Alabama and Mississippi.

The newspaper said poll results show Gingrich's support is fading in Alabama.

The News said a separate poll of likely Republican voters showed Romney leading the Alabama primary with 31.2 percent; Santorum had 21.6 percent; Gingrich 21 percent and Paul 6.5 percent. A total of 19.8 percent were undecided.

The telephone poll by the Alabama Education Association's Capital Survey Research Center was conducted March 1, 5 and 6. It included 510 likely voters with a margin of error of 4.4 percent.

The report gave no margin of error for the ASU poll.