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David Espo

GOP race now lining up for Romney

Last updated Thursday, March 22, 2012 - 11:33am

WASHINGTON -- It hasn't been pretty, but the Republican establishment, the delegate math, the money and more are increasingly lining up in Mitt Romney's favor in the long and grinding race for the party's presidential nomination.

Campaign, Mitt Romney, Politics, Republicans, National Read more Comments

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is interviewed by Megyn Kelly during a segment of "America Live" on the Fox News Channel, in New York, Wednesday, March 14, 2012. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Romney dismisses Santorum as a 'lightweight'

David Espo The Associated Press

Last updated Thursday, March 15, 2012 - 10:48am

WASHINGTON -- An upbeat Rick Santorum barreled into Puerto Rico on Wednesday in pursuit of another campaign-bending victory in a Republican presidential race where suddenly no primary is too minor and no delegate is conceded. Mitt Romney put nearly $1 million into television advertising in Illinois, the next big-state showdown.

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Four straight: Romney wins Washington state GOP caucuses

David Espo The Associated Press

Last updated Saturday, March 3, 2012 - 9:39pm

WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney rolled to a double-digit victory in Washington state’s Republican presidential caucuses Saturday night, his fourth campaign triumph in a row and a fresh show of strength in the run-up to 10 Super Tuesday contests in all regions of the country.

Rick Santorum and Ron Paul battled for second place, while Newt Gingrich ran a distant fourth.

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Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, greeets patrons at The Mitt Restaurant during a campaign stop in Mount Clemens, Mich., Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Romney would raise eligibility age for Medicare

David Espo The Associated Press

Last updated Friday, February 24, 2012 - 5:15pm

DETROIT -- Four days before critical primary elections, Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney outlined a far-reaching plan Friday to gradually delay Americans' eligibility for Medicare as well as Social Security.

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Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, left, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney share a laugh at the end of a Republican presidential debate Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012, in Mesa, Ariz. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Romney, Santorum assail each other

David Espo The Associated Press

Last updated Thursday, February 23, 2012 - 11:07am

MESA, Ariz. -- Primed for a fight, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum traded fiery accusations about health care, spending earmarks and federal bailouts Wednesday night in the 20th and possibly final debate of the roller-coaster race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Arizona primary, Campaign, GOP Debates, Mitt Romney, Politics, Republicans, Rick Santorum, National Read more Comments

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks at a town hall meeting at Eagle Manufacturing Corporation in Shelby Township, Mich., Tuesday, Mich., Feb. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Arizona also battleground for Romney, Santorum

David Espo The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, February 22, 2012 - 10:59am

MESA, Ariz. -- Rick Santorum is looking for another upset or two, while Mitt Romney is hoping to keep his leading rival at bay in the run-up to the 20th debate of the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Arizona primary, Mitt Romney, Politics, Republicans, Rick Santorum, National Read more Comments

Romney rolls to easy win in Nevada GOP caucuses

David Espo, Kasie Hunt The Associated Press

Last updated Saturday, February 4, 2012 - 9:25pm

LAS VEGAS -- Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney cruised to victory in the Nevada caucuses Saturday night, notching a second straight triumph over a field of rivals suddenly struggling to keep pace.

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(MATT ROURKE/The Associated Press) Republican presidential candidate and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich takes part in a TV interview during a campaign event at the Grapevine Restaurant in Spartanburg, S.C., on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012, the unpredictable voting day of the South Carolina presidential primary.

Gingrich wins South Carolina primary

David Espo, Thomas Beaumont The Associated Press

Last updated Saturday, January 21, 2012 - 10:10pm

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich stormed to an upset win in the South Carolina primary Saturday night, dealing a sharp setback to former front-runner Mitt Romney and scrambling the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

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Republican presidential candidate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, and his wife Anita, arrive for a news conference in North Charleston, S.C., Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, to announce he is suspending his campaign and endorsing Newt Gingrich. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Perry drops out of presidential race; endorses Gingrich

Beth Fouhy, David Espo The Associated Press

Last updated Thursday, January 19, 2012 - 2:26pm

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday dropped out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination and endorsed Newt Gingrich, adding a fresh layer of unpredictability to the campaign two days before the South Carolina primary.

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Republican presidential candidate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks during the South Carolina Republican presidential candidate debate Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, in Myrtle Beach, S.C. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Romney fends off attacks in SC debate

David Espo The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - 10:21am

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- Under heavy debate pressure from his rivals, Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney defended his record as a venture capitalist, insisted he bears no responsibility for attack ads aired by his allies and grudgingly said in campaign debate Monday night he might release his income tax returns this spring.

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ELISE AMENDOLA/The Associated Press
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, surrounded by his family, points toward supporters at the Romney for President New Hampshire primary night victory party at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, N.H., on Tuesday.

Romney wins in N.H., Huntsman finishes third

David Espo, Steve Peoples The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - 12:01am

CONCORD, N.H. -- Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won the New Hampshire primary Tuesday night, adding to a first-place finish in last week's Iowa caucuses and establishing himself as the man to beat for the Republican presidential nomination. Ron Paul finished second, with Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum trailing.

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Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, listens as he is introduced by Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., as he campaigns at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, N.H., Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Analysis: Romney’s rivals have little time in SC

David Espo The Associated Press

Last updated Saturday, January 7, 2012 - 6:01pm

WASHINGTON — Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and the rest of Mitt Romney’s pursuers still have time to stop his rise in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. But not much. And not all of them.

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(Charlie Neibergall/The Associated Press) Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is hugged by his wife, Ann, during a Romney for President Iowa Caucus night rally in Des Moines, Iowa, on Tuesday.

Romney wins by a whisker in Iowa

David Espo, Thomas Beaumont The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, January 4, 2012 - 9:46am

DES MOINES, Iowa — Mitt Romney eked out a minuscule 8-vote victory over Rick Santorum in Iowa's Republican presidential caucuses, the state party chairman said early Wednesday, ringing down the curtain on an improbable first act in the campaign to pick a challenger to President Barack Obama in the fall.

Appearing hours after the caucuses had ended, Matt Strawn said Romney had 30,015 votes, to 30,007 for Santorum, whose late surge carried him to a near win.

Even before his victory was announced, Romney looked past his GOP rivals and took aim at Obama. "The gap between his promises four years ago and his performance is as great as anything I've ever seen in my life," he told supporters in Iowa's capital city.

Election 2012, Federal Government, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Elections, National Read more Comments

Romney's rivals on the attack

David Espo The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, December 27, 2011 - 4:47pm

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Attacking in waves, Mitt Romney's Republican presidential rivals cast the former Massachusetts governor as a less-than-reliable conservative on taxes, gay marriage and more Tuesday in the final, intensifying phase of a costly Iowa caucus campaign.

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(The Associated Press) Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. (center), gets a hug as she appears on the floor of the House of Representatives on Monday.

House OKs debt deal as Giffords makes unannounced appearance

David Espo The Associated Press

Last updated Monday, August 1, 2011 - 10:26pm

WASHINGTON -- Crisis legislation to yank the nation past the threat of a historic financial default sped through the House Monday night, breaking weeks of deadlock. The rare moment of cooperation turned celebratory when Rep. Gabrielle Giffords strode in for the first time since she was shot in the head nearly seven months ago.

The vote was 269-161, a scant day ahead of the deadline for action. But all eyes were on Giffords, who drew thunderous applause as she walked into the House chamber unannounced and cast her vote in favor of the bill.

A final Senate sign-off for the measure is virtually assured today. Aside from raising the debt limit, the bill would slice federal spending by at least $2.1 trillion, and perhaps much more.

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