Is Mitt Romney a sure thing to win the Republican nomination?

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney was the first Republican since 1976 to the first two races competitive presidential candidate to win Tuesday night with his win in New Hampshire.

Analysts are reluctant Romney is a potential candidate for the Republican challenge, and even he admits that he has a big challenge in the coming elections in South Carolina faces.

But subject to the results of the New Hampshire primary field for Romney, so there is no clear second choice. In the primaries in Iowa, Rick Santorum finished in second place behind Romney. In New Hampshire, Ron Paul was the runner-up with Santorum distant fifth place.

Rick Santorum has a shot at third place in Iowa

Rick Santorum is rising in the polls, and now looks like a contender for third place in Iowa.

The GOP hopeful Iowa caucus support among likely voters more than tripled since early December, which it was published for the third place with 16%, according to a CNN / Time / ORC poll on Wednesday.

Mitt Romney (25%) and Ron Paul (22%) exceed Santorum in the Hawkeye State survey, but it is far from Santorum's uber-longshot status only a few weeks.

His numbers have slipped, as he aggressively provoked the most influential evangelical leaders in the state, while tirelessly to visit all 99 Iowa counties.

A devout Catholic, Santorum strongly against abortion and gay marriage, and believes that America's economic problems are linked to the collapse of the institutions of marriage and family. He is open about the threat of "radical Islam" is to America.

Santorum echoed in the emergence of a similar study published on Tuesday by Public Policy Polling. He checked in at 10% in the poll, not far behind in third place Newt Gingrich (13%).

Romney and Paul also lead the PPP wenquête, but Santorum is considered the second most common choice for Iowa voters, when asked by pollsters to include the candidate.

Santorum has long cast itself as a reliable conservative, that voters can trust to stand by his principles when the going gets tough.

"I've always had to come the story of the girl in the room, go past us and take a turn with a few other guys to say beautiful," Santorum told The New York Times "and then at the end of the evening, a steady old Eddie , not pushy, but he's the man you know you want to take home to mom and dad. "

Rick Perry's Anti-Gay Ad Features Music by Gay Composer Aaron Copland

By now you've probably seen Rick Perry, "Strong" ad, which he believes "there is something wrong in this country where gays can openly serve in the army, but our children can not celebrate Christmas or open prayer in school . "Not only gay men in our army, they also compose the music for our campaign. Because the Harvard Political Review notes, the music that plays in the background classifieds Perry inspired or taken directly from the Aaron Copland, a gay composer.

Herman Cain Suspends His Campaign

A challenging Herman Cain forgiven and suspended his presidential campaign on Saturday, promising that he would "not go" as he left the Republican presidential race face charges of sexual misconduct climbing.

"As of today, with much prayer and introspection, I am suspending my presidential campaign," Cain said at a rally in Atlanta, surrounded by supporters chanting his name. "Due to further distractions the evil continues to cause me and my family, not because we are not fighters. Not because I'm not a fighter."

With the suspension of his candidacy, saying instead that he was ending his candidacy, Mr. Cain, according to campaign finance law, retains the ability to accept money for his campaign so far and potential finance the new company he called Plan B: to travel the country to promote his tax plans and policy the outside.

The fall of Mr. Cain campaign came as a new Des Moines Register poll showed that his supporters seem to be gravitating towards Newt Gingrich, the former house speaker. According to the survey, Mr. Gingrich is supported by 25 per cent chance the Republican caucusgoers, followed by Representative Ron Paul of Texas with 18 percent and Mitt Romney with 16 percent. The survey was conducted before Mr. Cain has suspended his campaign, and it showed, with the support of only 8 percent of respondents, a large reduction in previous surveys.

Other Republican candidates are in single digits. In the previous poll in Iowa, conducted in late October, from 7 percent agreed with Mr. Gingrich, while Mr. Cain was the choice of 23 percent.

Lord Romney said Saturday that the race remains open. "I do not think people really move permanently to decide who they will support in the nominating process," he said, adding: "I hope they give us a good overview of caution."

Mr. Cain said he would make an endorsement soon. With his wife, Gloria, on his rally in Atlanta, Mr. Cain said the charges of sexual harassment and a case of 13 were false. "I am at peace with my God," he said. "I am at peace with my wife, and she is at peace with myself."

Mr. Cain left much how it went. Circuslike atmosphere - complete with multiple delays, barbecue, blues and a group of supporters in colonial dress - was in line with irreverence and confusion of the campaign since its inception.

For several days, the campaign has sparked a "he will or not?" Storm of speculation as the media thrives on attention, news, denouncing it as the cause of Mr. Cain popularity. in free fall, Mr. Cain critics have long postulated that she was more interested in creating famous for yourself - as a way to sell books and raise the costs of language - to make a serious bid for the presidency.

Indeed, in his speech Saturday, Mr. Cain praised the increase in the near darkness, saying: "Right now, my ID name is probably 99.9", a reference to "9-9-9" plan, which combines a flat tax with a tax national sales.

However, Mr. Cain took what could be his last moment in the spotlight to denounce the national political culture in Washington, calling the policy "a dirty game."

Mr. Cain at the Atlanta fans were surprised and disappointed. They blamed the news media, shouting insults to the body in several releases.

Lisa Chambers, 48, a volunteer from Snellville, Ga., said: "This is not what I wanted. Not at all. I do not know what to do now. I'm so disappointed."

But other supporters were more pragmatic. Dean Kleckner, former president of the Iowa Farm Bureau, who gave Cain a rider to start, said: "I hate to say this, because it was a remarkable man in many ways, but frankly, I think he did the right thing. I'm disappointed in a way, relieved in a way. "

Other Republican candidates quickly welcomed Mr. Cain and his agenda, in an effort to attract supporters.

"It is very import to remember," Mr. Gingrich said Saturday during a campaign event, "was he who had the courage to start the 9-9-9 plan. Like it or he does not like, it raised the general level of discussion."

Mr. Cain political decline was so rapid as its ascent. It started just a month after a likely increase in the polls, driven by the strength of his discussion of performance, innovation and his tax plan and his surprise victory in the Florida straw poll in September.