Top Aides Leaving Ensign

The Donald tells 'Fox and Friends' he'll take credit for Mitt's victory

(NEWSER) - Mitt Romney easily won in Nevada Saturday—a result he had also achieved in 2008 , and a feat that the polls (and Newt Gingrich ) predicted before Donald Trump endorsed Romney . But never mind all that, Trump is just going to take credit for the victory. "There was a lot riding on that particular race in Nevada and it was interesting, because the numbers were much, much greater than you thought," Trump said on Fox and Friends today. "And a lot of people are giving me credit for that. And I will accept that credit." More»

Pahrump residents turn out for Republican candidate

(NEWSER) - Battling for second place in the Nevada caucuses, Ron Paul has discovered a place where he definitely comes in first. Paul visited a rural district 60 miles west of Las Vegas yesterday and bathed in the adulation of hundreds who gathered at a roller rink, some carrying sidearms, the Las Vegas Sun reports. “The people love him,” said a supporter in the town of Pahrump, where unemployment tops 17% and foreclosure signs line the main drag. Paul lovers say his libertarian policies would free up the lagging economy. More»

Mitt Romney needs a blowout win; can Ron Paul finish second?

(NEWSER) - Mitt Romney's big lead in the polls in Nevada makes today's caucuses a not-so-thrilling affair, but the Las Vegas Review-Journal and the Washington Post manage to find some things for political junkies to watch:

• Mitt Romney: Can he beat the 51% mark he got here four years ago? At this point, if he doesn't win in a blowout, it will be spun as a negative.
• Newt Gingrich: His pal Donald Trump abandoned him in Vegas; now he has to get enough support from conservatives and Tea Partiers to finish second ahead of Ron Paul.
• Ron Paul: His campaign has worked hard here and would dearly love a second-place finish. Paul hopes to surpass the 14% he got four years ago.
• Rick Santorum: Another fourth-place finish won't help him make the case that he's the conservative choice over Gingrich. Bad sign: He's already looking ahead to Tuesday's Missouri primary, which is more of a "beauty contest with no delegates," notes the Post.

Newt Gingrich is 20 points behind him in new poll

(NEWSER) - Mitt Romney appears poised for a crushing victory in Nevada, leading Newt Gingrich there by a whopping 45% to 25%, according to a new poll commissioned by the Las Vegas Review-Journal . Romney's total is powered by Nevada's comparatively large Mormon population, 85.5% of which says it intends to vote for him. Gingrich, meanwhile, is polling best among those who identify themselves as strong supporters of the Tea Party, with 37% to Romney's 27%. More»

Campaign dials back expectations, sets sights on caucus states

(NEWSER) - It doesn't look like Newt Gingrich will win in Florida today, and his campaign doesn't think he'll win the next contest either. A campaign spokesman tried to dial back expectations today, telling CNN that Gingrich wasn't expecting much from Nevada—which holds its caucuses five days from now—or Michigan. "The toughest one is Nevada," he said. Mitt Romney won the state in 2008, thanks in large part to Mormon voters, who made up about a quarter of all caucus-goers. More»