Santorum, who is running for a third term, said he is "not saying that I fundamentally believe the death penalty is wrong."

In an interview published in Tuesday's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Santorum, a Roman Catholic, said he agrees with the pope that the use of the death penalty should be limited.

Asked to elaborate by The Associated Press, the conservative Republican said: "I could see a legitimate rationale for not executing juveniles" as long as the offender was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on March 1 that execution of those who kill as juveniles is unconstitutional.

"There are reasons that we execute people: for the sake of protecting society and exacting justice" and as a deterrent, he said. "This is not the taking of innocent human life. ... In many respects, you could look at the death penalty as self-defense."

State Treasurer Robert P. Casey Jr., who said he plans to seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Santorum, supports the death penalty.

Santorum has been re-examining his views at a time when recent polls find Catholic support for the death penalty diminishing. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which has announced a new campaign against the death penalty, released surveys from last November and this month showing that adult church members, once supportive of the death penalty, are now evenly divided on the issue.

© 2005 Associated Press.

Editor's note: