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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Iowa caucus: Republican candidates make final pitch | Iowa caucus: Republican candidates make final pitch |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Republican White House hopefuls are making their final pitches to voters as they enter a last day of campaigning ahead of Tuesday's Iowa caucus. | Republican White House hopefuls are making their final pitches to voters as they enter a last day of campaigning ahead of Tuesday's Iowa caucus. |
| Mitt Romney maintains a narrow lead over Ron Paul, his nearest rival, although opinion polls show many in the state remain undecided. | Mitt Romney maintains a narrow lead over Ron Paul, his nearest rival, although opinion polls show many in the state remain undecided. |
| Meanwhile, former US senator and social conservative Rick Santorum surged into third place. | |
| The vote is the first major test of the 2012 presidential election. | The vote is the first major test of the 2012 presidential election. |
| It marks the start of the six-month period during which each US state will hold primary elections or caucuses to pick a Republican candidate, who will be officially nominated at the party convention in August. | It marks the start of the six-month period during which each US state will hold primary elections or caucuses to pick a Republican candidate, who will be officially nominated at the party convention in August. |
| 'Wide open' | 'Wide open' |
| An opinion poll on Sunday by the Des Moines Register newspaper suggests Mr Romney remains the most popular candidate in Iowa, with 25% support. Mr Paul was at 22%, while Mr Santorum scored 15% but rising. | An opinion poll on Sunday by the Des Moines Register newspaper suggests Mr Romney remains the most popular candidate in Iowa, with 25% support. Mr Paul was at 22%, while Mr Santorum scored 15% but rising. |
| Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich came in fourth with 12%, while Texas Governor Rick Perry got 11% and Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann had 7% support. | Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich came in fourth with 12%, while Texas Governor Rick Perry got 11% and Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann had 7% support. |
| However, 41% of those polled said they could still change their minds. | However, 41% of those polled said they could still change their minds. |
| "It's a wide open race," Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, a Republican, told CNN, adding that many were still on the search for their ideal candidates. | "It's a wide open race," Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, a Republican, told CNN, adding that many were still on the search for their ideal candidates. |
| "I'm pretty confident we'll have a good night. I don't know who's going to win," Mr Romney told supporters at a restaurant in the town of Atlantic, says the Reuters news agency. | "I'm pretty confident we'll have a good night. I don't know who's going to win," Mr Romney told supporters at a restaurant in the town of Atlantic, says the Reuters news agency. |
| Mr Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts and a moderate Republican, had barely campaigned in Iowa until the past week. | Mr Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts and a moderate Republican, had barely campaigned in Iowa until the past week. |
| He spent millions on his unsuccessful nomination bid in 2008. | He spent millions on his unsuccessful nomination bid in 2008. |
| Support for Texas Congressman Ron Paul has slipped a little after he was challenged about his non-interventionist foreign policy views. | Support for Texas Congressman Ron Paul has slipped a little after he was challenged about his non-interventionist foreign policy views. |
| "I may come in first, I may come in second. I doubt I'll come in third or fourth," he told CNN. | "I may come in first, I may come in second. I doubt I'll come in third or fourth," he told CNN. |
| Mr Paul opposes intervention in Iran over the issue of nuclear weapons and wants to end US aid to Israel and other allies. | Mr Paul opposes intervention in Iran over the issue of nuclear weapons and wants to end US aid to Israel and other allies. |
| Standing firm, he told CNN: "I would say that we just need to be more cautious. I think if we overreact and participate in bombing Iran, we're looking for a lot more trouble." | Standing firm, he told CNN: "I would say that we just need to be more cautious. I think if we overreact and participate in bombing Iran, we're looking for a lot more trouble." |
| Mr Santorum, meanwhile, has said he would bomb nuclear facilities in Iran if they did not allow international arms inspections. | Mr Santorum, meanwhile, has said he would bomb nuclear facilities in Iran if they did not allow international arms inspections. |
| Correspondents say that while a good performance in Iowa does not guarantee an easy path to nomination, a successful result can give a clear boost to candidates as they start out. Equally, a clear defeat could spell the end for a contender. | Correspondents say that while a good performance in Iowa does not guarantee an easy path to nomination, a successful result can give a clear boost to candidates as they start out. Equally, a clear defeat could spell the end for a contender. |
| The eventual Republican candidate will challenge President Barack Obama for the White House in November 2012. | The eventual Republican candidate will challenge President Barack Obama for the White House in November 2012. |
| Many voters are concerned by the pace of economic recovery from the recession that started during the last months of the presidency of George W Bush and ended in 2009. | Many voters are concerned by the pace of economic recovery from the recession that started during the last months of the presidency of George W Bush and ended in 2009. |