GOP Rivals Gear Up For Weekend Debates

POSTED: 1:22 pm EST January 7, 2012
UPDATED: 4:02 pm EST January 7, 2012

(CNN) -- As the field of GOP nominees for president narrows, the remaining crop of those seeking to replace Barack Obama geared up Saturday for a pair of pivotal weekend debates in New Hampshire, just days ahead of the nation's first primary.Front-runner Mitt Romney, who eked out a narrow eight-vote victory ahead of former Sen. Rick Santorum in the Iowa caucus, has since surged past his competition in the Granite State.A NBC News/Marist poll has the former Massachusetts governor commanding a robust lead with 42% of the vote.Rep. Ron Paul, an outspoken libertarian from Texas, is a distant second, tallying about 22%, according to the Saturday poll."Mitt Romney's the overwhelming front-runner here in New Hampshire, so of course expect him to have a bull's eye on his back," said CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser. "The two-time presidential candidate is used to being on the receiving end of attacks from his GOP rivals. But this will be the first debate where Rick Santorum isn't an afterthought standing at the far edge of the stage."The former Pennsylvania senator has enjoyed a recent surge in campaign funding following his strong showing in Iowa and has benefited from a bump in New Hampshire support.Still, he trails in the third spot.Santorum's recent rise will likely force Romney to share some of the spotlight as single-digit candidates like Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who once led in the polls, take aim in a much-anticipated sparring match Saturday.Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, meanwhile, has watched his numbers decline since late December and will be counting on a break-out performance to stay relevant as the Republican field begins to take shape.Ex-Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman has also staked out his claim in New Hampshire. But despite devoting the bulk of his campaign resources there, he continues to hover around 9%.Tuesday's primary is widely thought to be a make-or-break moment for Huntsman, a former ambassador to China, who is counting on a strong showing to continue campaigning nationally.Just 10 hours will separate the two debates this weekend; a one-two punch that will afford voters their last chances to weigh their choices ahead of decision day next week.ABC News is scheduled to broadcast Saturday's event -- the first debate after more than three weeks of campaigning -- from Saint Anselm College at 9 p.m. ET.Sunday's debate is set for 9 a.m. ET and is co-sponsored by NBC's Meet the Press and Facebook.

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Source: http://www.wptz.com/politics/30157819/detail.html

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