Republican Presidential Candidates to Face off in Debates

Posted January 7th, 2012 at 11:20 am (UTC-5)
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U.S. Republican presidential hopefuls face off in two debates this weekend as they prepare for Tuesday's primary vote in New Hampshire.

The six candidates will battle first on Saturday night, followed by a second debate Sunday morning.

Saturday's debate will be the first since the caucus voting in Iowa, which former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney won by just eight votes over Rick Santorum, a former senator from Pennsylvania.

Romney said Friday that the candidates will ultimately rally behind the eventual nominee to challenge U.S. President Barack Obama.

“We'll be going back and forth, and then when it's all over, we ought to be able to hug and go to work to get one of us elected President of the United States.”

Romney remains the frontrunner in New Hampshire according to the latest polling, with Texas Congressman and anti-war advocate Ron Paul in second.

The debates are a chance to sway voters statewide in New Hampshire and also appeal to a national audience.

Depending on the results, the New Hampshire primary could prompt one or more candidates to leave the race as a sixth-place finish in Iowa did with Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann.

Former House of Representatives speaker Newt Gingrich has fallen behind in recent weeks, but a new poll of likely New Hampshire voters released Saturday showed him rising to third place ahead of Santorum. Former U.S. ambassador to China Jon Huntsman tied Santorum for fourth, while Texas Governor Rick Perry trailed in last place.

The socially conservative Santorum sparked controversy this week when he compared gay marriage to polygamy at an event with college students in New Hampshire. Santorum is a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage.