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Des Moines, Iowa: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is following his long-planned, tested and methodical strategy to secure the Republican presidential nomination, while his chief rival, Rick Perry, is challenging the experienced campaigner on the fly.
Meanwhile, several people close to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie say he is reconsidering his decision to stay out of the race. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the issue.
Neither Romney nor Perry is panicking nor retooling after an aggressive September battle in which each landed blows. But as they begin October, they will each reach deeper into the early contest state perceived to belong to the other man.
Romney has kept a low profile in Iowa, but his campaign is growing in the state now, hoping to generate momentum by finishing in the top three in the caucuses, the first of the 2012 nominating contests.Snubbed
The former Massachusetts governor is dispatching his wife, Ann, there next week and plans his own visit later in the month. After scaling back sharply from his $10-million (Dh36.7 million) 2008 campaign in Iowa, Romney is now adding modestly to his small Iowa staff and building support among niche groups, such as the agricultural industry, local businesses and senior citizens. Perry charged hard out of the gate to cheering crowds after he announced in late summer. But his momentum was slowed by stumbles in recent debate performances. Nevertheless, he's heading to New Hampshire, where active voters hold him with some scepticism, for a series of appearances in front of influential voters who will be able to question him in public.
Meanwhile, the key battleground state of Florida decided on Friday to move up its Republican presidential primary to January 31, snubbing party rules and triggering angry responses from traditional early voting primary states which will now likely move up their primaries to stay ahead.
The move thwarts efforts by both major political parties to delay presidential primaries and caucuses. Their aim has been to avoid a repeat of the 2008 scenario, when states jumped ahead of each other in attempts to increase their influence in the process.
Change in dates
Officials in early nominating states Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina say they'll probably change their dates to stay ahead of Florida.
They are the only states allowed to go before March 6 under Republican and Democratic party rules.
In Florida, a special nine-member committee appointed by legislative leaders and Gov. Rick Scott voted 7-2 to set the January date two days after House of Representatives Speaker Dean Cannon announced that's what it was expected to do.
Cannon and other Florida Republican leaders said they didn't want to jump the traditional early states but wanted to make sure Florida was fifth, even though the move was a violation of party rules.
Meanwhile, several people close to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie say he is reconsidering his decision to stay out of the race. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the issue.
Neither Romney nor Perry is panicking nor retooling after an aggressive September battle in which each landed blows. But as they begin October, they will each reach deeper into the early contest state perceived to belong to the other man.
Romney has kept a low profile in Iowa, but his campaign is growing in the state now, hoping to generate momentum by finishing in the top three in the caucuses, the first of the 2012 nominating contests.Snubbed
The former Massachusetts governor is dispatching his wife, Ann, there next week and plans his own visit later in the month. After scaling back sharply from his $10-million (Dh36.7 million) 2008 campaign in Iowa, Romney is now adding modestly to his small Iowa staff and building support among niche groups, such as the agricultural industry, local businesses and senior citizens. Perry charged hard out of the gate to cheering crowds after he announced in late summer. But his momentum was slowed by stumbles in recent debate performances. Nevertheless, he's heading to New Hampshire, where active voters hold him with some scepticism, for a series of appearances in front of influential voters who will be able to question him in public.
Meanwhile, the key battleground state of Florida decided on Friday to move up its Republican presidential primary to January 31, snubbing party rules and triggering angry responses from traditional early voting primary states which will now likely move up their primaries to stay ahead.
The move thwarts efforts by both major political parties to delay presidential primaries and caucuses. Their aim has been to avoid a repeat of the 2008 scenario, when states jumped ahead of each other in attempts to increase their influence in the process.
Change in dates
Officials in early nominating states Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina say they'll probably change their dates to stay ahead of Florida.
They are the only states allowed to go before March 6 under Republican and Democratic party rules.
In Florida, a special nine-member committee appointed by legislative leaders and Gov. Rick Scott voted 7-2 to set the January date two days after House of Representatives Speaker Dean Cannon announced that's what it was expected to do.
Cannon and other Florida Republican leaders said they didn't want to jump the traditional early states but wanted to make sure Florida was fifth, even though the move was a violation of party rules.
