In the end Mitt Romney won the Iowa caucus by 8 votes over conservative Rick Santorum.
The AP reported:
Narrow Iowa victory in hand, Mitt Romney was looking toward the next-up New Hampshire primary – essentially on his home turf – and shaper criticism from his Republican rivals, including chief challenger Rick Santorum.
The former Massachusetts governor was declared the winner of the leadoff presidential caucuses early Wednesday by just eight votes, ringing down the curtain on an improbable first act in the campaign to pick a challenger to President Barack Obama in the fall.
Appearing hours after the caucuses had ended, Iowa GOP chairman Matt Strawn said Romney had 30,015 votes, to 30,007 for Santorum.
Romney received less votes this time around than in 2008.
