WASHINGTON (Reuters) – If the Republican presidential race becomes a two-man fight between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry — and judging from Wednesday’s debate it already is — primary voters will have a stark choice.

East Coast establishment calm versus Texas Tea Party fire. Private sector business background versus lifelong politician. Mormon versus evangelical Christian.

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (Reuters) – Deeply conservative South Carolina, home to an early and often decisive Republican presidential primary, could be Rick Perry country in 2012.

The Texas governor’s surge in national opinion polls since entering the Republican presidential race last month is even more pronounced in South Carolina, where his staunch social and religious conservatism matches the state’s profile.

, Sept 5 (Reuters) – Five Republican
presidential hopefuls pledged their faith in free markets and
the U.S. Constitution at a campaign forum for conservatives on
Monday, although the event lost some luster when Texas Governor
Rick Perry was a late no-show.

The 2012 Republican White House contenders appeared
separately at the South Carolina forum but shared similar views
on the need to slash government, cut taxes and repeal President
Barack Obama’s healthcare overhaul.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, under rising pressure from rival Rick Perry, has been forced to drop his play-it-safe campaign strategy and launch a more direct appeal for support from Tea Party conservatives.

After months of staying above the Republican campaign fray and focusing his criticism on President Barack Obama, Romney threw his first subtle jab at Perry on Tuesday and changed his schedule to appear at two Tea Party-oriented events.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, under rising pressure from rival Rick Perry, has been forced to drop his play-it-safe campaign strategy and launch a more direct appeal for support from Tea Party conservatives.

After months of staying above the Republican campaign fray and focusing his criticism on President Barack Obama, Romney threw his first subtle jab at Perry on Tuesday and changed his schedule to appear at two Tea Party-oriented events.

AMES, Iowa (Reuters) – It was Michele Bachmann’s big moment in the political spotlight and Rick Perry stomped all over it.

Despite her victory on Saturday in the Iowa straw poll, the first big test of the 2012 Republican U.S. presidential campaign, Bachmann had to share the national stage with Perry’s public leap into the White House race.

AMES, Iowa (Reuters) – It was Michele Bachmann’s big moment in the political spotlight and Rick Perry stomped all over it.

Despite her victory on Saturday in the Iowa straw poll, the first big test of the 2012 Republican presidential campaign, Bachmann had to share the national stage with Perry’s public leap into the White House race.

AMES, Iowa (Reuters) – Michele Bachmann won the Iowa straw poll on Saturday in the first big test of the 2012 Republican presidential race, as Texas Governor Rick Perry launched a White House bid that could reshape the race.

Bachmann, a representative from Minnesota, narrowly edged out Ron Paul and rolled over Tim Pawlenty and the rest of the field to capture the nonbinding mock election, an early gauge of strength in the state that holds the first 2012 Republican nominating contest.

AMES, Iowa, Aug 13 (Reuters) – Michele Bachmann won the
Iowa straw poll on Saturday in the first big test of the 2012
Republican presidential race, as Texas Governor Rick Perry
launched a White House bid that could reshape the race.

Bachmann, a U.S. representative from Minnesota, narrowly
edged out Ron Paul and rolled over Tim Pawlenty and the rest of
the field to capture the nonbinding mock election, an early
gauge of strength in the state that holds the first 2012
Republican nominating contest.

AMES, Iowa (Reuters) – Six Republican presidential hopefuls competed on Saturday in the Iowa straw poll, an unofficial test of campaign strength, as Texas Governor Rick Perry formally launched a White House run that could reshape the 2012 race.

Voters swarmed the straw poll site and lined up early to cast a ballot in the nonbinding mock election that traditionally winnows the Republican field of poor performers and boosts those who do better than expected.