Republican presidential candidates, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (L) and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-GA) talk during a commercial break as they participate in the NBC News, National Journal, Tampa Bay Times debate…
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Posted: 01/26/2012
COCOA, Fla. (AP) — A two-man fight for Florida is emerging ahead of the state's final Republican presidential debate, with Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich pounding each other over personal and professional vulnerabilities.
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Texas Rep. Ron Paul will take their places on the stage for Thursday night's debate, but they have their sights set elsewhere and have largely stayed away from the Romney-Gingrich drama.
Public opinion polls have Romney and Gingrich in a tight race.
Sharp exchanges Wednesday highlighted the stakes in the battle to determine President Barack Obama's fall challenger.
Gingrich is trying to paint Romney as out-of-touch by noting his Swiss bank account and another in the Cayman Islands. But Gingrich also faced questions about his extramarital affair in the 1990s.
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