U.S. Republican presidential hopefuls are busy campaigning in Iowa
Thursday, five days before the first nominating contest of the 2012
presidential campaign.
The candidates are filling the next several days with visits to local
pizza joints, breakfast spots, and bars, rallies and town halls, and in
between, speeding around the central U.S. state to their next campaign
stop an hour or two or three later.
The latest Iowa poll shows Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is back on
top and Representative Ron Paul is in second place. But former Senator
Rick Santorum says he remains confident the caucuses, seen as an
important indicator of nationwide prospects, will turn in his favor.
Santorum says his surprising surge to third place in the latest survey
is because the voters there have met him and seen he reflects their
values.
Still
other candidates, faring less well in Iowa, are turning their attention
to other states.
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, the latest favorite to fade
away, has tumbled into fourth place in Iowa after a barrage of negative
advertising from rival campaigns. Though he continues to campaign hard
in the testing ground state, Gingrich reminded reporters the candidate
will be chosen in votes in 50 states, not just one, and said in many
other states he retains a strong lead.
And Jon Huntsman, who was President Barack Obama's ambassador to China,
is focusing instead on New Hampshire, the second state scheduled to vote
on a nominee.
In the latest survey in that state, Romney holds a strong lead,
supported by 44 percent of likely primary voters, followed again by
Paul.
