Candidates to hit debates, town halls and good old-fashioned meet-and-greets in Iowa, NH

By Associated Press, Monday, December 12

WASHINGTON — The presidential nominating contests start in 21 days, and the Republican candidates are turning up the heat in Iowa and New Hampshire this week.

Front-runners Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are in New Hampshire Monday. Gingrich will debate Jon Huntsman one-on-one in Manchester. Ron Paul is holding town hall meetings on Tuesday in Peterborough and Wednesday in Derry.

The candidates will be back in Iowa later in the week.

Rick Perry spent Sunday in Iowa and planned to return Wednesday to begin a bus tour. Gingrich, Perry, Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum will be with the 2008 Iowa winner, Mike Huckabee, on Wednesday.

All the candidates plan to participate in the next debate in Sioux City, Iowa, Thursday.