Mitt Romney says he and Rick Santorum ended up in a "virtual tie" in the Iowa caucuses after Republican Party officials finished counting results from the closest outcome in the event's history. Romney initially had been considered the winner by 8 votes but fell behind in the final counting.

The Des Moines Register newspaper reported Thursday that certified vote totals will put Santorum ahead by 34 votes, with results from eight precincts expected to remain missing.

In a written statement, Romney, the front-runner in the race for the Republican nomination to face President Barack Obama in November, credited Santorum's "strong performance" in the state.

The vote totals are to be officially announced Thursday morning at the party's Iowa headquarters.