(RALEIGH) -- The latest polling from a Raleigh firm shows that Republican Mitt Romney's standing against Democratic President Barack Obama is slipping, while Rick Santorum's position is improving. Tom Jensen of Public Policy Polling said that Romney trails Obama by seven points in the most recent monthly poll, but Santorum only trails by five points.

"What we're finding is basically just that voters like Santorum a lot better than Romney and it doesn't really have anything to do with what he stands for, it's just he's a much more likable person and it's coming across more positively," said Jensen.

He added that, early-on, even when a series of candidates took the lead in the GOP primary race, Romney remained the closest to Obama.  This latest poll is the first where this is no longer the case.