Stage with podiums ready for Fox News GOP debate in Myrtle Beach/Joel Allen
MYRTLE BEACH -- Tonight, Myrtle Beach hosts the Republican presidential candidates as they get ready for their debate.
There will be one less podium on the stage tonight as Jon Huntsman has withdrawn, and a poll conducted last night shows Mitt Romney is the front runner in the Palmetto State.
Huntsman made it official this morning from the Convention Center in Myrtle Beach. He's out of the race, and he's backing Mitt Romney.
"I believe it is now time for our party to unite around the candidate best equipped to defeat Barack Obama. Despite our differences and the space between us on some of the issues, I believe the candidate is Mitt Romney," said Huntsman.
Fighting hard for the social conservative vote, both Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum are hitting out at Romney, trying to lure votes their way.
Santorum on FoxNews Sunday, "Governor Romney's record on the economy and obviously Romney-care is a real scarlet letter here."
And Gingrich on NBC's Meet the Press, "Mitt Romney as governor governed like a Massachusetts politician. He's much closer to Dukakis and Kerry than he is to Ronald Reagan."
A poll of 720 voters conducted last night by Insider Advantage shows Romney ahead in South Carolina with 31 percent. He's followed by Newt Gingrich with 21, Ron Paul with 14, Rick Santorum at 13 percent, and Rick Perry with 5 percent support.
The hopefuls will spend the rest of the week courting South Carolina voters, hoping to increase their support here ahead of Saturday's primary.
They'll make their big pitch tonight as they debate at the beach.
