Jan. 4, 2012

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney won yesterday’s Iowa Republican presidential caucuses by a hair. Taking 24.6 percent of the poll, he beat former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum by only eight votes. The outcome gives Santorum, a favorite among evangelical Christian voters, a chance to emerge as the alternative to Romney in the New Hampshire and South Carolina presidential primary elections later this month. Representative Ron Paul of Texas came in a close third with 21.4 percent of the vote; former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich received 13.3 percent; Governor Rick Perry of Texas took 10.3 percent; and Representative Michele Bachman of Minnesota, a favorite of the Tea Party movement, came in sixth with 5 percent.

Mitt Romney wins the Iowa caucuses. Abby Brack, Romney for President, Inc.

Saying that the people of Iowa “spoke with a very clear voice,” Michele Bachmann announced today that she was pulling out of the race. Late on January 3, Governor Perry announced  that he planned to return to Texas to “assess” his candidacy.

President Barack Obama ran unopposed in Iowa’s Democratic presidential caucus.

Additional World Book articles

• Congress of the United States
• President of the United States