Rick Perry dropped out of the Republican presidential race and endorsed Newt Gingrich on Thursday morning, delivering a short, jaunty speech to supporters in South Carolina. “I have come to the conclusion that there is no viable …
Campaign Events
Well Positioned and Plenty Lucky, Romney Works to Hold His Lead in South Carolina
Rock Hill, South Carolina
In 2008, Mitt Romney hopped on a plane to Nevada two days before the critical South Carolina primary, convinced that his Mormon faith and the moderate policy positions he took as Massachusetts …
With Nomination Almost in Reach, Romney Looks to Bury Gingrich Again in South Carolina
Spartanburg, South Carolina
With just days until the South Carolina primary looming as the last real hurdle on his march to the Republican nomination, Mitt Romney is trying to ward off a late charge from Newt Gingrich by …
New Hampshire Creates Big Expectations, if Little Drama, as GOP Race Wears On
Somersworth, New Hampshire
In a final, frantic day of campaigning before Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary, the six Republican presidential hopefuls sought to calibrate expectations for a race from which Mitt Romney’s healthy …
Campaign Circus Reaches Fever Pitch in New Hampshire
Bedford, New Hampshire
The Granite State had been worked to a fever pitch by Monday, as candidates made their final appeals before the long-anticipated primary. In the sleepy New Hampshire hills, the buildings overflowed. Crowds of reporters swallowed candidates and innocent bystanders alike. And the kooks and activists came out to …
‘I Like Being Able to Fire People’: How Romney Says the Right Thing in the Worst Possible Way
Oh Mitt Romney. The man runs a near flawless campaign. Every debate barb is rehearsed. Every stump speech is focus-group perfect. Every strand of hair in place. And when he does err, he’s not even necessarily wrong. He just occasionally phrases things so poorly that the sound of palms meeting foreheads in his campaign’s Boston HQ can be …
In Final New Hampshire Push, Huntsman Embraces Underdog Role
Concord, New Hampshire
In the final days of his long New Hampshire barnstorm, Jon Huntsman has grown comfortable in a role he never expected to play. “I’m the underdog in this race,” Huntsman told a crowd of college kids and …
The 25% Solution: How Romney Plans to Finish By Florida
An eight-vote, 25% victory may look weak, but Mitt Romney’s narrow win in the Iowa caucuses Tuesday has his campaign charting a plan for ultimate victory by the time Florida Republicans hold their primary on Jan. 31. The …
GOP Hopefuls Hit the Trail for Critical Campaign Week
It’s a crucial week in the turbulent Republican presidential primary, as the candidates look to piggyback on their performances during Saturday’s debate in Des Moines and prepare for an encore Thursday in Sioux City. But despite the pair of Iowa showdowns, there is — once again — only one candidate roaming the Hawkeye State today: the …
How the Shrinking Primary Calendar Boosts Romney’s Chances
The Florida GOP’s decision to defy Republican Party rules by slating its presidential primary for Jan. 31 has touched off a cascade of scheduling decisions that will compress the primary calendar. South Carolina party bosses, …
Newt Gingrich Will Save America (If We’re Not Too Stupid to Let Him)
Arrogance is an asset in politics and a prerequisite for the presidency. You have to have a healthy ego to conclude you’re singularly capable of tackling the challenges that beset the U.S. If the Republican presidential primary were a contest of egos, Newt Gingrich would be the dominant front-runner.
Alas, it’s not. And with a …
Sliding in the Polls, Bachmann Pushes Ahead with Her Red Meat Campaign in Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Michele Bachmann is ambling through the aisles of a cramped meat locker in an industrial section of Des Moines. Massive sides of beef, weighing up to 950 lbs., hang from hooks near the ceiling and droplets of …
For GOP Hopefuls, Labor Day Weekend Marks Start of 2012 Sprint
After a spring of embarrassing ephemera (remember Donald Trump’s painful presidential flirtation/publicity tour?) and a summer of high-octane campaign kickoffs (Michele Bachmann, Jon Huntsman) that haven’t sustained much …