Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney expressed confidence on Tuesday, saying he expects to finish within the top tier.
“It’s hard to predict exactly what’s going to happen,” said Mr. Romney during an appearance on MSNBC. “I think I’ll be among the top group.”
The Massachusetts Republican is widely seen as the Republican front-runner for Tuesday’s caucus. Mr. Romney has increased his presence within the state of Iowa in recent days, campaigning around the state and meeting with supporters.
Speaking to a group of voters on Tuesday, Mr. Romney reiterated his message opposing the Obama administration’s economic policies.
“Democrats will poison the American spirit by pitting one American against another and engaging in class warfare,” Mr. Romney told supporters. “I believe in an America that is one nation under God, and I will keep it that way.”
The former Massachusetts governor also noted that he plans to spend Tuesday evening at the Hotel Fort Des Moines to await the caucus results.
The latest polls, one released as recently as Saturday, have made clear that former Mr. Romney, Texas Rep. Ron Paul and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum compose the top tier of candidates vying for a win Tuesday night in Iowa. Mr. Romney has spent the past several weeks fending off attacks ads from his Republican opponents.
Mr. Romney faced a barrage of attacks from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on Tuesday, who criticized Mr. Romney’s support of the Massachusetts health care program.
“Here’s a Massachusetts moderate who has tax-paid abortions in ‘Romneycare,’ puts Planned Parenthood in ‘Romneycare,’ raises hundreds of millions of dollars of taxes on businesses, appoints liberal judges to appease Democrats, and wants the rest of us to believe somehow he’s magically a conservative,” said Mr. Gingrich.
