Rivals unleash fire against Republican favorite Romney

Republican presidential candidates (L-R) former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, former US Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, participate in a Republican presidential candidates debate in Concord, New Hampshire, January 8, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

CONCORD, N.H. - US Republican front-runner Mitt Romney emerged on Sunday from back-to-back debates in New Hampshire a bit dinged but not seriously dented as rivals stepped up attacks to slow his march toward the presidential nomination.

Two days before voters in the small New England state head to the polls for the first 2012 primary election, Romney took heat on a number of topics: his record as governor of neighboring Massachusetts, the attack ads run by an outside group on his behalf and a suggestion he would wither in the face of attacks from Democratic President Barack Obama.

One by one, the contenders lined up to fire on the former venture capitalist in a surprisingly heated debate after they largely left Romney alone Saturday night. But there was little to suggest he had suffered any setback in New Hampshire, where he is heavily favored to win.

"Romney was dinged in the second debate, but not seriously wounded," said Larry Sabato, political analyst at the University of Virginia. "Basically, the candidates firmed up their own individual base but I don't think they took much away from Romney either in terms of Republicans or independents."

Slowing Romney's momentum has taken on new urgency in the face of polls showing he is also favored in the South Carolina primary on Jan. 21, despite being seen as less socially conservative as his competitors in the church-going southern state.

Although Romney's win in the Iowa caucuses on Tuesday was an eight-vote squeaker over Rick Santorum, backing it up with a win in New Hampshire would be a feat never achieved by a Republican candidate who is not an incumbent, adding to a sense of inevitability about his candidacy.

The online exchange InTrade, which takes bets on the outcomes of events such as elections, now shows Romney with an 83 percent chance of winning the Republican nomination to run against Obama in the fall.

Romney Painted as Moderate

And yet, the race for second continued to hold the Republican field in suspense, with Santorum, libertarian congressman Ron Paul, former US House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich, Texas Governor Rick Perry and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman all vying for the spot.

Santorum, whose lackluster campaign caught fire in Iowa and who has pinned hopes more on the next contest in South Carolina, came out punching at Romney, even though he endorsed Romney in his 2008 run for the party's nomination.

"If his record was so great as governor of Massachusetts, why didn't he run for re-election," said Santorum, a former US senator from Pennsylvania.