Americas

Americas

Official presidential election campaign starts in US

04 January 2012 08:05 (UTC +04:00)

According to APA, only Republicans hold caucus contests for the November elections. Democrats will nominate incumbent President Barack Obama.
Former Senator from Pennsylvania Rick Santorum and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney appear to be heading for a photo finish in Iowa, with the two Republican presidential candidates locked in one of the closest caucus contests in modern political history.
With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Santorum leads Romney by just 18 votes -- each pulling in about 25 percent of caucus-goers. The two have traded the lead several times ever since returns starting trickling in Tuesday night. Iowa Republican officials said they were waiting for the results from two precincts before being able to declare a winner. Ron Paul came in third in Iowa primary elections with 22 percent of the vote. Newt Gingrich finished fourth, followed by Rick Perry in fifth and Michele Bachmann in last place among the candidates who were competing there.

The results leave both candidates able to claim momentum going into New Hampshire. Romney was able to perform well in Iowa despite having largely ignored the contest earlier in his campaign. Santorum can charge out of Iowa claiming he is the chosen conservative alternative to Romney -- though at least a couple other candidates will continue to compete for that mantle.

Analysts said Barack Obama had few chances to be re-elected. Most think that next president of the United States will be a Republican.

Republicans will hold next primaries in New Hampshire on January 10. Former US Ambassador to China and Utah Governor John Huntsman will join them there. The Republican presidential candidate will be nominated during the party congress
to be held in summer in Tampa, Florida.

The presidential elections will take place on November 6, 2012.