Outside the Beltway

The race in South Carolina is going down to the wire.

A recount in Iowa has changed the final numbers, but we really don’t know who won.

Mitt Romney’s rivals scored a few hits on him last night, but nothing that’s likely to make a difference.

Republicans are rallying behind their eventual nominee.

After having so much influence in 2010, the Tea Party is finding itself adrift in the search for a Republican nominee in 2012.

150-plus evangelical leaders are trying to derail the Romney Express. They’re going to get run over.

Is a vote for Gingrich (or whomever) necessarily an anti-Romney vote?

Things are tightening up among the Republican candidates in the Palmetto State.

Republican candidates have reached out to Tim Tebow for an endorsement. Desperation?

Last night was the high point of Ron Paul’s 2012 campaign for the Presidency.

Jon Huntsman put on a brave face last night, but he’s really got nowhere to go from here.

A good night for Romney, a surprising showing for Ron Paul, and the first steps toward the end of the race for the Republican nomination.

There’s no perfect system for choosing a champion but we can do better than this.

Is George Bush to blame for a weak Republican field almost four years after he left office? Not entirely.

Can anyone bring the primary debate schedule under control?

Barring a disaster, Mitt Romney is going to win the New Hampshire Primary, but who comes in second is still up in the air.

Ten hours later, the candidates seemed more combative than they had been the night before.

Watching last night’s debate, you would have been surprised to learn that Mitt Romney has any real opponents in the Republican race.

Rick Santorum’s views on the role of government are somewhat disturbing.

Jon Huntsman has gambled everything on New Hampshire. It probably won’t pay off.

My evidence? Bill Kristol thinks he has a chance.

Rick Santorum returns to his old ways when asked about same-sex marriage.

There seems to be very little stopping a big night for Mitt Romney next Tuesday.

The GOP is at a distinct disadvantage in the political fight over President Obama’s Recess Appointment of Richard Cordray to head the CFPB.

Wherein we find that Santorum is the “fun” choice and a few election cliches pay a visit.

Rick Santorum’s good day in Iowa doesn’t change the truth about his campaign.

Rick Santorum’s foreign policy positions are troubling in many respects.

Rick Santorum has some bizarre views when it comes to the dispute between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

Rick Santorum now appears to be THE social conservative alternative to Mitt Romney.

The Ames Straw Poll isn’t going away any time soon.

We give a small number of people a lot of influence.

It was a photo finish in the Hawkeye State.

Obama 2012 online ad buy on the Des Moines Register’s homepage today