The two leading Republican candidates for president will be vying not just for votes but also for attention Monday as they both campaign in central Illinois.

The two leading Republican candidates for president will be vying not just for votes but also for attention Monday as they both campaign in central Illinois.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum plans at least one stop during the day Monday in East Peoria as part of a four-city fly-around scheduled for the day before Illinoisans go to the polls for the primary election.

Meanwhile, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has long been scheduled to take part in an evening fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Peoria, at Finish Line Ford, 2100 W. Pioneer Parkway.

Santorum plans a lunchtime rally at Davis Bros. Pizza, 2402 E. Washington St., East Peoria, his Illinois campaign coordinator, Jon Zahm, said Wednesday night.

"We're going to have some serious interactions with folks," he said, describing the event as more substantive than the typical pre-election fly-around activities that frequently just involve a small airport rally.

The two-term senator also will be making stops in Moline and Rockford and plans to end the day in Dixon, the site of President Ronald Reagan's boyhood home.

The campaign swings for Romney and Santorum come as the Illinois presidential primary heats up - and holds the prospect of mattering in the delegate race for Republicans for the first time in more than two decades. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich campaigned in Chicago's suburbs Wednesday, while Texas Rep. Ron Paul held a rally at the University of Illinois. Gingrich plans events in the suburbs again Thursday, but the prospect for other Illinois events for either him or Paul after that is unclear.

Romney holds a lead of roughly 2-1 over Santorum in delegates, with Gingrich and Paul trailing behind. Illinois' 69 delegates are the second-biggest prize so far on the nominating calendar, and will remain so until New York and Pennsylvania hold their primaries on April 24.

A recent Chicago Tribune/WGN-TV poll gave Romney a slight edge among Republican voters statewide, but that advantage is primarily because of support in the Chicago suburbs. Santorum polls slightly better among voters in downstate Illinois.

"We feel good about really everywhere in Illinois outside the city of Chicago," Zahm said. "Where the voters are more liberal, like Romney, we're going to struggle a little bit . . . but outside those areas" the campaign expects to do much better.

Steve Shearer, the campaign manager for Schock, said he appreciates the competitive primary Republicans are faced with, but disagreed with Santorum’s campaign over the expected result.



“I believe Romney will be the nominee, and he and his team will come out of this process with the inner strength forged in the furnace of adversity it takes to win the presidency,” he said. “Romney, Santorum and Gingrich will all be in Illinois for much of the next week, and that is both good and healthy for Illinois and the Republican party. Likewise, I believe Illinois will be very good for Mitt Romney.”



Schock has endorsed Romney and has been on the campaign trail with him.



Santorum's campaign has not fielded a full slate of delegates in Illinois, just as they did not in Ohio. That means that in some spots, because voters select delegates by congressional district, Santorum supporters will not be able to vote to send backers of their candidate to the Republican National Convention.

Those spots include three districts within Cook County as well as the downstate 13th Congressional District, which stretches from Champaign southwest to the Metro East area outside St. Louis. It incorporates part of McLean County as well as Springfield. Santorum does have delegates slated in the 17th and 18th congressional districts that make up the bulk of central Illinois.

Chris Kaergard can be reached at 686-3135 or ckaergard@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisKaergard.