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| Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney meet at Florida debate | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| US Republicans Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are facing off in a national debate in the US state of Florida, ahead of that state's primary vote. | |
| Mr Gingrich released his 2006 contract with federal mortgage agency Freddie Mac amid pressure to explain his role. | Mr Gingrich released his 2006 contract with federal mortgage agency Freddie Mac amid pressure to explain his role. |
| Mr Romney called his rival erratic like a "pinball machine", challenging him to return $1.6m (£1m) in consulting fees. | Mr Romney called his rival erratic like a "pinball machine", challenging him to return $1.6m (£1m) in consulting fees. |
| In two polls released on Monday, Mr Gingrich's lead among likely Florida voters grew to as much as 9%. | In two polls released on Monday, Mr Gingrich's lead among likely Florida voters grew to as much as 9%. |
| Mr Gingrich's contract with the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp specifies that the former House Speaker would be paid a monthly retainer of $25,000, for a total of $300,000 for "consulting and related services". | Mr Gingrich's contract with the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp specifies that the former House Speaker would be paid a monthly retainer of $25,000, for a total of $300,000 for "consulting and related services". |
| Earlier on Monday Mr Romney had demanded the release of the contracts. | Earlier on Monday Mr Romney had demanded the release of the contracts. |
| Mr Gingrich won a decisive victory in South Carolina on Saturday, taking 40% of the vote, and the Gingrich campaign said it received $1m in 24 hours after his victory in South Carolina. | Mr Gingrich won a decisive victory in South Carolina on Saturday, taking 40% of the vote, and the Gingrich campaign said it received $1m in 24 hours after his victory in South Carolina. |
| Fellow candidates Rick Santorum, a former senator, and Texas Congressman Ron Paul will also take to the stage on Monday. | Fellow candidates Rick Santorum, a former senator, and Texas Congressman Ron Paul will also take to the stage on Monday. |
| The Florida primary will be held on 31 January. | The Florida primary will be held on 31 January. |
| Lobbying without a permit? | Lobbying without a permit? |
| Mr Romney also suggested that Mr Gingrich worked for companies that potentially benefited from the passage of a prescription drug benefit in 2003. | Mr Romney also suggested that Mr Gingrich worked for companies that potentially benefited from the passage of a prescription drug benefit in 2003. |
| At the time Mr Gingrich was no longer a member of the House of Representatives and did not register as a federal lobbyist, however, he continued to be active on Capitol Hill as he ran a variety of foundations and private groups. | At the time Mr Gingrich was no longer a member of the House of Representatives and did not register as a federal lobbyist, however, he continued to be active on Capitol Hill as he ran a variety of foundations and private groups. |
| Mr Romney released a television advertisement with similar themes in Florida on Friday - his first official attack ad. | Mr Romney released a television advertisement with similar themes in Florida on Friday - his first official attack ad. |
| "It's not true," Mr Gingrich said of Mr Romney's assertions. "He knows it's not true. He's deliberately saying things he knows are false." | "It's not true," Mr Gingrich said of Mr Romney's assertions. "He knows it's not true. He's deliberately saying things he knows are false." |
| Mr Gingrich himself spent the days before the South Carolina primary calling on the former Massachusetts governor to release his tax returns - something Mr Romney has now said he will do on Tuesday. | Mr Gingrich himself spent the days before the South Carolina primary calling on the former Massachusetts governor to release his tax returns - something Mr Romney has now said he will do on Tuesday. |
| The Gingrich campaign's new infusion of cash will help in a state where television ads are crucial, but his campaign is still under-funded compared to Mr Romney. | The Gingrich campaign's new infusion of cash will help in a state where television ads are crucial, but his campaign is still under-funded compared to Mr Romney. |
| Texas Congressman Ron Paul will skip the state, focusing on other upcoming primaries. | Texas Congressman Ron Paul will skip the state, focusing on other upcoming primaries. |
| Mr Santorum, however, will campaign in Florida in an attempt to stay in the race after a third-place finish in South Carolina. | Mr Santorum, however, will campaign in Florida in an attempt to stay in the race after a third-place finish in South Carolina. |
| Establishment attacks | Establishment attacks |
| Mr Gingrich followed his upset in the Palmetto State by saying he now expects attacks to come from all sides. | Mr Gingrich followed his upset in the Palmetto State by saying he now expects attacks to come from all sides. |
| "I think you're going to see the establishment go crazy in the next week or two,'' he told ABC News on Monday. | "I think you're going to see the establishment go crazy in the next week or two,'' he told ABC News on Monday. |
| He struck back at Mr Romney's calls by referred to him as "somebody who has released none of his business records, who has decided to make a stand on transparency without being transparent". | He struck back at Mr Romney's calls by referred to him as "somebody who has released none of his business records, who has decided to make a stand on transparency without being transparent". |
| After a lacklustre debate performance on Thursday, Mr Romney appears to have called in help. Brett O'Donnell, a debate adviser for President George W Bush and 2008 Republican nominee John McCain, was seen at a Romney campaign stop on Monday. | After a lacklustre debate performance on Thursday, Mr Romney appears to have called in help. Brett O'Donnell, a debate adviser for President George W Bush and 2008 Republican nominee John McCain, was seen at a Romney campaign stop on Monday. |
| Mr Romney's supporters continued to characterise Mr Gingrich as highly erratic - focusing on both his ties with Freddie Mac and his time leading the House of Representatives. | Mr Romney's supporters continued to characterise Mr Gingrich as highly erratic - focusing on both his ties with Freddie Mac and his time leading the House of Representatives. |
| Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who dropped out of the Republican race in August and now backs Mr Romney, told reporters in a conference call that he completely rejected Mr Gingrich's claim that he served as a "historian" for the company. | Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who dropped out of the Republican race in August and now backs Mr Romney, told reporters in a conference call that he completely rejected Mr Gingrich's claim that he served as a "historian" for the company. |
| Mr Pawlenty echoed a line from some in the party when he argued that Newt Gingrich was not the best candidate to oppose President Barack Obama in the general election. | Mr Pawlenty echoed a line from some in the party when he argued that Newt Gingrich was not the best candidate to oppose President Barack Obama in the general election. |
| "The possibility of Newt Gingrich being our nominee against Barack Obama, I think is essentially handing the election over to Obama, if it got to that point," Mr Pawlenty said. | "The possibility of Newt Gingrich being our nominee against Barack Obama, I think is essentially handing the election over to Obama, if it got to that point," Mr Pawlenty said. |
| New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told NBC News on Sunday that Mr Gingrich has embarrassed his party in the past. | New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told NBC News on Sunday that Mr Gingrich has embarrassed his party in the past. |
| "Whether he will do it again in the future, I don't know," Mr Christie said, adding he didn't want "another legislator in the Oval Office who doesn't know how to use executive authority". | "Whether he will do it again in the future, I don't know," Mr Christie said, adding he didn't want "another legislator in the Oval Office who doesn't know how to use executive authority". |
| Mr Christie is often speculated as a potential running-mate for Mr Romney if he wins the nomination. | Mr Christie is often speculated as a potential running-mate for Mr Romney if he wins the nomination. |
| With Newt Gingrich's win in South Carolina, the nomination contest is now expected to continue into the spring. | With Newt Gingrich's win in South Carolina, the nomination contest is now expected to continue into the spring. |
| The eventual Republican candidate will face President Barack Obama in the general election in November. | The eventual Republican candidate will face President Barack Obama in the general election in November. |
| Are you in Florida? Get in touch using the form below. | Are you in Florida? Get in touch using the form below. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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