Republican, Iowa Caucuses | featured news

Donald Trump withdrew Tuesday as the moderator of a debate planned for later this month in Iowa, citing his interest in possibly still running for president as an independent. Trump pulled out of a debate he had planned to host along with the conservative magazine Newsmax, scheduled for Dec. 27, just days before the Iowa caucuses. All the GOP presidential candidates save for Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum said they would not participate.

Mitt Romney may have some help in Iowa: Ron Paul. The Texas congressman's allies and others say that he drains support from the rising Newt Gingrich, and, if that turns out to be the case during the Jan. 3 caucuses and Paul manages to triumph here, the theory is that Romney would benefit in the long-run.

The polls of the two earliest states in the presidential nominating contest both show significant progress for Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House, who has moved up about 20 points in each state since October.

The real estate mogul will moderate a debate with conservative media outlet Newsmax a week before Iowa caucus.

Ed Rollins, GOP presidential candidate Michele Bachmann's former campaign manager, had some harsh words on Monday for the Minnesota congresswoman.Speaking to ABC News, Rollins said that Bachmann has little chance of victory in next year's Iowa caucuses and that she is "out of money and ideas."

Sensing an opening, Romney is stepping up his Iowa campaign and talking about winning the state after months of taking a more low-key approach. He probably will return to Iowa in November and hold a conference call with thousands of Iowa GOP caucus-goers.

The relentless push forward of the presidential nominating calendar could move the Iowa caucuses into December. The latest development came late Wednesday when Nevada Republican Chairwoman Amy Tarkanian said her state's caucuses would be Jan. 14 instead of Feb. 18.