Asked about the most recent Franklin & Marshall poll that showed his one-time lead in Pennsylvania nearly gone, former Sen. Rick Santorum attacked the pollster, professor G. Terry Madonna, as a "Democratic hack."



Madonna, who runs Franklin & Marshall's Center for Politics and Public Affairs, said Santorum could not have been more wrong. Madonna said he has never conducted a poll for either a political party or any candidate.

Santorum, interviewed on "Fox News Sunday," said of Madonnna, "I think he just draws the numbers out of a hat sometimes."

Madonna’s polls had Santorum ahead in his races for Senate in 1994 and 2000, both races Santorum won, and behind in the 2006 race he lost. Madonna also correctly forecast GOP victories in four 2010 congressional races, as well as wins by Sen. Pat Toomey and Gov. Tom Corbett, both Republicans.

Madonna noted that while Santorum attacked him personally — and by extension, his professional staff — the presidential candidate didn’t point to any factual errors or question his scientific methodology.

“I didn’t hear any complaints when I had him up 29 points (in February),” Madonna said. “I didn’t hear him complain when I had him up in ‘94 and 2000.

“I think what I saw was the pressure for him to get out of the race. And there is big pressure.”