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    January 20, 2012

Republican Field Tightens on Eve of Key S. Carolina Primary

   Jim Malone | Washington
   Republican presidential candidates, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick
   Santorum, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former House Speaker
   Newt Gingrich and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, take the stage before the
   start of the Republican presidential candidate deba
   Photo: AP
   Republican presidential candidates, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick
   Santorum, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former House Speaker
   Newt Gingrich and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, take the stage before the
   start of the Republican presidential candidate debate at the North
   Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, S.C., January 19, 2012.

   The race for the U.S. Republican Party's presidential nomination
   appears to be tightening in advance of a crucial primary showdown
   Saturday in South Carolina. The Republican race took a chaotic turn
   Thursday when one candidate left the race while another fended off
   allegations from an ex-wife.
   The four remaining Republican White House contenders met for another
   debate in South Carolina late Thursday. While they argued over jobs,
   health care and leadership, the focus was on personal allegations
   concerning former House of Representatives speaker Newt Gingrich.
   Gingrich denied an allegation made by one of his two ex-wives, Marianne
   Gingrich, who said he once asked her to accept the fact that he was
   involved with a woman staff member even though he was still married to
   her.
   'I said to him, 'Newt, we've been married a long time'. And he said,
   'yes, but you want me all to yourself. Callista doesn't care what I
   do.' He was asking to have an open marriage and I refused,' she told
   ABC's Nightline program.
   Gingrich eventually divorced Marianne and married the woman he was
   involved with, Callista Bisek, and she now campaigns with him.
   Gingrich denied the allegation and responded angrily when CNN moderator
   John King raised the issue at the beginning of Thursday's debate.
   'I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news
   media makes it harder to govern this country," Gingrich replied,
   "harder to attract decent people to run for public office, and I am
   appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like
   that.'
   Later in the debate Gingrich said it was imperative that Republicans
   defeat President Barack Obama in November, calling him 'the most
   dangerous president of our lifetime.'
   Recent polls show Gingrich is gaining ground on the frontrunner for the
   Republican nomination, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.
   Romney did not directly address Gingrich's personal issues in the
   debate and kept his focus instead on President Obama's record on the
   economy.
   'Our president said, I think in a very revealing way, that he wants to
   fundamentally transform America. He's wrong," Romney said. "We need to
   restore the values that made America the hope of the earth, and I
   understand those values.'
   Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum and Texas Congressman Ron
   Paul also took part in the debate.
   Santorum got some good news earlier when it was announced that he
   actually won the most votes in the Iowa caucuses on January 3,
   surpassing Mitt Romney's vote total by 34 votes.
   Santorum was critical of both Romney and Gingrich in Thursday's debate
   and said he was the best conservative candidate to take on the
   president in November.
   'I would make the argument that a conviction conservative who has a
   clear contrast with President Obama on the most important issues of the
   day is the best person,' Santorum said.
   Gingrich got a boost earlier in the day when Texas Governor Rick Perry
   quit the race and endorsed him over the other contenders.
   'I believe Newt is a conservative visionary who can transform our
   country," Perry said. "We have had our differences, which campaigns
   will inevitably have. And Newt is not perfect, but who among is?'
   Analysts say all the upheaval in the Republican race on the eve of the
   South Carolina primary has made the outcome difficult to predict.
   Gingrich has been surging in the polls after Romney had an early lead.
   But the question is whether the revelations from Gingrich's ex-wife
   will hurt him with religious and social conservative voters who make up
   a large percentage of South Carolina's Republican electorate.
   South Carolina has a strong record in picking eventual Republican Party
   nominees. Since 1980, the winner of the South Carolina primary has
   always gone on to win the Republican nomination for president.