Santorum, Romney jockey for lead in airtight Iowa contest

[261911]

Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney appear to be heading for a photo finish in Iowa, with the two Republican presidential candidates locked in one of the closest caucus contests in modern political history.

With 91 percent of precincts reporting, Romney leads Santorum by about a dozen votes -- each pulling in about 25 percent of caucus-goers.

The Fox News decision desk projects that Ron Paul, who is pulling about 22 percent of the vote, will come in third in the lead-off nomination contest. Fox News also projects that Newt Gingrich will finish fourth, followed by Rick Perry in fifth and Michele Bachmann in last place among the candidates who are competing there.

Paul, speaking late Tuesday night to a revved-up crowd in Ankeny, Iowa, described his third-place standing as "one of three tickets out" of Iowa and, in an apparent shot at Santorum, "one of two that can actually run a national campaign and raise the money."

Paul said, "We will go on, we will raise the money -- I have no doubt about the volunteers." Paul cycled through his trademark issues, lambasting the Federal Reserve and U.S. monetary policy, while claiming the American people are at his back on issues like his opposition to the Afghanistan war.

The results trickled in following a day of sharp-elbowed politicking. Gingrich, fed up with the negative ads against him, agreed with a depiction of Romney as a liar. Santorum, similarly dispirited about a spate of robo-calls in Iowa, called Paul "disgusting."

The exchanges were characteristic of the bitter tone that pervaded the closing moments of one of history's most volatile GOP elections. With more than 40 percent of Iowans supposedly uncommitted to a candidate as of this past weekend, the campaigns approached Tuesday night's caucuses with little certainty of the outcome.

The three candidates at the top took nothing for granted, holding rallies on caucus day in a final bid to get out the vote. Gingrich, Perry and Bachmann also pressed the flesh Tuesday in a last appeal to caucus-goers.

At the 1,774 caucus sites, each candidate relied on local supporters to make his or her case before Iowans finally cast their ballots. Romney had found himself defending a narrow lead in the state -- after barely competing there for most of 2011. A win Tuesday night could help reaffirm his oft-threatened front-runner status, as the field heads next into New Hampshire, where Romney holds a decisive lead.

But Romney was not pulling away from the pack by any means. After having predicted a win the night before, caucus returns show Romney seemingly unable to break the 25 percent threshold -- which roughly has been his cap in terms of support in national polls. Romney's showing in Tuesday's caucuses appears similar to his showing in 2008, when his 25 percent haul landed him in second place behind former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

A narrow win or second-place finish for the former Massachusetts governor on Tuesday could portend a more drawn-out and competitive process. Romney, for his part, predicted a day earlier that he would pull off a win in Iowa. The statement marked a turnaround from his earlier campaign strategy, which all but discounted Iowa in favor of New Hampshire. Santorum, unlike Romney, was committed to Iowa from the start of his campaign and visited all 99 counties.

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman finished last in Iowa, though he was not competing in the state and is instead focusing on New Hampshire.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/03/gop-candidates-await-iowa-verdict/
Kind of nice to see a fresh new face at the top. I just might give my vote to Rick Santorum for president.

[Parsons, Tyler]

Romney won by 8 votes

[261911]

Originally Posted by Parsons, Tyler

Romney won by 8 votes

A photo finish indeed. Even though Romney won (narrowly), Santorum has gained huge momentum.I like the sound of Santorum/Romney, which is infinitely better than the sound of Obama/Biden.

[Parsons, Tyler]

Gingrich/Portman 2012

[261911]

Here's a detailed map of how the candidates did in Iowa. In addition, a video of Romney giving his speech is played.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elec...-caucus-jan-3/

[lightnin']

...the "herd thinning" is underway.

Bachmann is gone.

Perry is severely damaged; if no strong finish in SC, done.

That'll leave Santorum (if he does well in SC), Gingrich, and Romney.

Like everything else; it's all about the money and organization. Right now,
Romney has both, and the others simply do not.

They'll have to rely on passionate followers and hard work.

It's going be an exciting couple of weeks !!!

[261911]

Originally Posted by lightnin'

...the "herd thinning" is underway.

Bachmann is gone.

Perry is severely damaged; if no strong finish in SC, done.

That'll leave Santorum (if he does well in SC), Gingrich, and Romney.

Like everything else; it's all about the money and organization. Right now,
Romney has both, and the others simply do not.

They'll have to rely on passionate followers and hard work.

It's going be an exciting couple of weeks !!!

Indeed.

[Warhawk1982]

romney only beat Santorum by 8 votes? Santorum has proven that he can be electable. I just don't see what romney's appeal is.