GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum makes stop in Missouri

COTTLEVILLE, Mo. (AP) - Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum spoke to a crowd of several hundred people Monday at a suburban St. Louis community college.

At St. Charles Community College, Santorum said he believes he can fare well in Midwestern swing states such as Missouri by taking the high road on issues. He denounced what he calls the "gutter politics" of his opponents.

Late Monday, Santorum appeared at a town hall forum in Minnesota.

The Midwestern events were the first since Santorum took a break from the campaign to be with his 3-year-old daughter, who was hospitalized. They also indicate he is shifting his focus away from Florida, where polls show him trailing Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich in Tuesday's primary.

Missouri's Feb. 7 primary will not count toward the delegate race for the Republican presidential nomination, and Gingrich will not even be listed on the ballot. Missouri's delegates will be awarded later through caucuses.