With just over three weeks until the Iowa Caucuses, the major Republican hopefuls are zeroing in on GOP frontrunner Newt Gingrich, as another debate this Thursday could mean even more sharp elbows in the 2012 race for the White House.
Saturday night's debate in Des Moines mainly featured jabs at the former U.S. House Speaker, who saw more good polls released over the weekend, as an NBC News/Marist poll had Gingrich up by 19 points over Mitt Romney in South Carolina and 15 points over Romney in Florida.
No other candidate was in double digits in either of those states.
The Saturday night debate was viewed by 7.6 million people, the most watched debate of the year - as it's getting down to crunch time in the Republican race.
"If the election were held tomorrow, he'd win in South Carolina," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said of Gingrich on NBC's Meet the Press.
I remember a couple of months ago when the subject of Gingrich was brought up with Graham in the hallways of the Capitol, and the Palmetto State Republican gave reporters little to think that he could envision any scenario where the former Speaker could seriously compete for the nomination.
But times have changed.
"It's clear to me that Newt Gingrich has established himself as the Republican frontrunner," Graham added.
Today Gingrich and Romney will make their news in New Hampshire, dueling for attention in the Granite State.
But on Thursday night in Sioux City, Iowa, it will be the final opportunity for any candidate to derail Gingrich in a major media setting.
One thing to think about with 22 days to go before Iowa - organization - who has "it" in the Hawkeye State?
Ron Paul and Mitt Romney have organization in Iowa; points have to be given as well to Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum and some to Rick Perry.
But Newt Gingrich does not have a big ground game in place right now.
To win my father's Iowa Caucuses, you needed a good organizing and a good ground game.
But maybe times have changed, and this is Iowa 2.0.
The clock is ticking for us to find out who wins; right now, Newt Gingrich is the frontrunner.
