AMES, Iowa (Reuters) – Six Republican presidential hopefuls compete Saturday in the Iowa straw poll, an unofficial test of campaign strength that will share the stage this year with the launch of Texas Governor Rick Perry’s White House run.

The two events, coming less than six months before Iowa residents hold the first presidential nominating contest, promise to reshape the Republican race for the nomination to challenge President Barack Obama in 2012.

DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) – Republican Sarah Palin rolled into Iowa’s state fair Friday, stealing the spotlight from the party’s presidential contenders and sparking a new round of speculation about her plans for 2012.

Palin’s visit to the cattle barn at the fair attracted a wild crush of photographers, reporters, fans and onlookers who swarmed the former Alaska governor, alarming the cows and bringing activity in the barn to a halt.

DES MOINES, Iowa, Aug 12 (Reuters) – Republican Sarah Palin
rolled into Iowa’s state fair on Friday, stealing the spotlight
from the party’s presidential contenders and sparking a new
round of speculation about her plans for 2012.

Palin’s visit to the cattle barn at the fair attracted a
wild crush of photographers, reporters, fans and onlookers who
swarmed the former Alaska governor, alarming the cows and
bringing activity in the barn to a halt.

AMES, Iowa (Reuters) – No one will accuse Republican Tim Pawlenty of being too nice anymore.

Two days before an Iowa straw poll that is a critical test for his lagging presidential campaign, Pawlenty dropped his nice-guy image in Thursday’s debate and sharply criticized rival Michele Bachmann for a lack of accomplishment.

AMES, Iowa (Reuters) – No one will accuse Republican Tim Pawlenty of being too nice anymore.

Two days before an Iowa straw poll that is a critical test for his lagging presidential campaign, Pawlenty dropped his nice-guy image in Thursday’s debate and sharply criticized rival Michele Bachmann for a lack of accomplishment.

AMES, Iowa (Reuters) – Republicans Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty clashed repeatedly over their records in a presidential debate on Thursday, two days before they vie for conservative support in a straw poll that could make or break their campaigns.

The fierce exchanges between the two Minnesota natives highlighted a nationally televised presidential debate that also featured repeated criticism of President Barack Obama’s economic leadership by eight Republican White House hopefuls.

AMES, Iowa, Aug 11 (Reuters) – Eight Republican White House
hopefuls meet in a nationally televised debate on Thursday,
hoping to generate momentum two days before an Iowa straw poll
that will test the strength of their campaigns.

The first Republican debate in nearly two months will give
struggling contenders like Tim Pawlenty an opportunity to make
an impression on Iowa voters before they deliver their verdict
in Saturday’s non-binding straw poll.

AMES, Iowa (Reuters) – Eight Republican White House hopefuls meet in a nationally televised debate Thursday, hoping to generate momentum two days before an Iowa straw poll that will test the strength of their campaigns.

The first Republican debate in nearly two months will give struggling contenders like Tim Pawlenty an opportunity to make an impression on Iowa voters before they deliver their verdict in Saturday’s nonbinding straw poll.

PELLA, Iowa, Aug 10 (Reuters) – Republican Mitt Romney, on
a rare visit to Iowa on Wednesday, said Americans were
“fearful, but not panicked” about the economy and predicted
voters would deny President Barack Obama a second term for his
economic failures.

The Republican presidential frontrunner said Obama would
lose in Iowa and elsewhere in the general election in November
next year because his policies had impeded economic growth and
dented confidence.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican presidential hopefuls will swarm Iowa this week for a debate and a straw poll that could be a make-or-break test of strength for struggling candidates like Tim Pawlenty.

The straw poll, a nonbinding mock election that often eliminates the poor performers and boosts those who do better than expected, will share the spotlight Saturday with a still unofficial contender — Texas Governor Rick Perry.