Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney addresses supports with his wife Ann and their sons Matt, Josh, Craig and Tagg behind him during a Romney for President Iowa Caucus night rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)RELATED STORIESPerry: Reassessing bid after Iowa caucusesGingrich vows to fight on after poor Iowa showingBachmann tells supporters she’s staying in raceRon Paul places 3rd in Iowa, looks to New HampshireIowa GOP voters see Romney as best Obama opponent
DES MOINES, Iowa _ In the closest finish in the history of the Iowa caucuses, Mitt Romney edged out Rick Santorum by eight votes in the first battle for the Republican presidential nomination.
A distant fifth-place finish apparently ended the once-promising candidacy of Rick Perry. The Texas governor, who started as a prime contender for the nomination last summer, broke off plans to fly to South Carolina for more campaigning, and said he was returning home instead to “determine whether this is a path forward.”
Santorum rode a late-breaking burst of support after getting counted out by virtually everyone until the final days of a long campaign. His Iowa comeback represented a drastic reversal from his last election night, a 17-point re-election drubbing in 2006.
“Thank you so much, Iowa,” said the former Pennsylvania senator, who swapped his trademark sweater vest for a coat and tie to address jubilant supporters in a Des Moines suburb.