Tonight’s Republican debate in Iowa was the first one since Newt Gingrich moved into first place in the polls. The focus was mainly on him, the former speaker of the House. It was also the smallest debate of the GOP primary, featuring only six candidates—Rick Santorum, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Michele Bachmann, and Gingrich.

Romney, who is now in second in many national polls behind Gingrich, attacked the former Georgia congressman for being a career politician. Gingrich responded with a biting line, telling Romney that he, too, would be a career politician if he had not lost his Massachusetts Senate race to Ted Kennedy in 1994. Romney would now be in his 17^th year as a politician, Gingrich guessed, if Romney’s attempt had been successful then.