Four Republican Candidates to Face Off Super Tuesday

 　　In U.S. presidential politics, the four remaining Republican contenders are headed for a major showdown Tuesday when 10 states hold primary or caucus 1 votes on the same day, with as many as 437 delegates at stake to the Republican nominating convention in August.  The so-called Super Tuesday slate 2 of contests will be a crucial test for the top two Republican candidates, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt 3 Romney and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum.

　　Super Tuesday is the single biggest primary day of the year and the outcome will likely have a big impact on the Republican race.
　　Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is hoping to build on the momentum 4 from his victories in Arizona and Michigan and solidify 5 his status as the clear frontrunner for the Republican Party nomination 6.
　　“And the reason I am running in this race is to restore America’s promise to make sure that every person in this room knows the future is bright, we will be prosperous; we will be free, and this will remain the greatest nation on earth," he said.
　　Romney expects to do well in his home state of Massachusetts on Tuesday, plus Vermont and Virginia, where only he and Texas Congressman 7 Ron Paul qualified 8 for the ballot 9.
　　Romney faces a challenge in several other states on Tuesday from former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum.
　　Republican presidential candidate former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum (file)
　　Santorum will focus his efforts in Tennessee, Oklahoma and especially Ohio, where the latest polls give him a slight lead over Romney.
　　Santorum continues to argue that he, and not Romney, is the true conservative in the Republican race.
　　“What is a winning formula is having better ideas.  Motivating the base of the Republican Party.  Being authentic," he said.  "Having the character to go out there and talk about core convictions in America.”
　　Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich hopes for a rebound 10 with a victory in his home state of Georgia, but for the moment Santorum has largely eclipsed him as the leading conservative alternative to Romney.
　　Texas Congressman Ron Paul is hoping for a breakthrough in some of the smaller states voting on Tuesday like Idaho, Alaska and North Dakota.
　　Political strategist Matthew Dowd told ABC’s "Good Morning America" that Romney has an opportunity on Tuesday to solidify his status as the leading Republican contender.
　　“First, he has got to win conservative votes.  Second, he has got to put together a winning streak 11, and the third thing is he has got to be able to unite the party behind a positive message,” he said.
　　Both Romney and Santorum are focused on economic issues, especially in the key primary showdown in Ohio.
　　“Ohio voters are similar to Michigan voters in that they were hit very badly by the economy, and manufacturing jobs are key," said Jennifer Lawless, a political expert at American University in Washington.  "If a candidate is not compelling on the economy, that candidate is not going to do well.”
　　Most analysts 12 expect a split decision on Tuesday with Romney, Santorum and perhaps Gingrich emerging with some victories in the 10 states voting.
　　Romney leads in the delegate count at the moment with more than 160 delegates supporting him, but it takes a total of 1,144 to secure the Republican nomination, meaning the Republican race is likely to go on well after Super Tuesday.