Republican candidates criss-crossed Iowa today making late appeals to voters, with polls giving at least three - Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul - a shot at winning the first contest of the 2012 presidential campaign.
Iowa's quirky caucuses are known more for weeding out candidates than picking the future president but finishing in a top spot could provide a big boost to any contender in the volatile contest to choose a Republican challenger to Democratic president Barack Obama in the November 6th election.
The tight Republican race, marked by rollercoaster ups and downs in opinion polls for most candidates, has sparked weeks of negative campaigning in Iowa. Millions of dollars has been spent by outside "Super PAC" fundraising groups.
Former House of Representatives speaker Newt Gingrich, a one-time front-runner pummelled by such attack advertisements, lashed out at Mr Romney today for trying to distance himself from the ads. Asked if he was calling Mr Romney a liar, Mr Gingrich said, "Yes" on CBS' "The Early Show."
"This is a man whose staff created the PAC, his millionaire friends fund the PAC, he pretends he has nothing to do with the PAC. It's baloney," said Mr Gingrich.
In response, Mr Romney reiterated that his campaign did not coordinate with the Super PAC and told Mr Gingrich to toughen up.
"This is a campaign where you need to have broader shoulders," Mr Romney said on Fox News. "If you can't stand the heat of this little kitchen, wait for the hell's kitchen that's coming from Barack Obama."
Polls give Mr Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, a narrow lead over social conservative Mr Santorum and libertarian Mr Paul ahead of today's caucuses. But many voters are still undecided, leaving the contest up for grabs.
More than 100,000 voters will gather across the midwestern state at more than 800 schools, libraries and other public spots starting at 7 pm CST (1am GMT). Results should begin coming in within a few hours.
The weather was expected to be fairly cold, but dry, which should boost turnout. Ice or snow would prompt some voters to avoid the long caucus meetings.
"I'm kind of on the fence. A name that's been kind of sticking out, along with everyone, is Rick Santorum. We're not a hundred percent for sure yet," Des Moines resident Jason Harpineau said, just hours before the start of the caucuses.
The stakes are high. A strong performance in Iowa would provide momentum and a surge in donations to the winner or winners - a strong possibility given there is not much breathing space among the three front runners. Ahead is what is expected to be the most expensive election in history.
Reuters