Newt leads despite ex-wife's slur

RERPUBLICAN presidential contender Newt Gingrich last night surged to the lead ahead of tomorrow's primary in South Carolina after a blistering attack on the media for airing claims by one of his former wives that he had wanted an "open marriage".

The former Republican House of Representatives Speaker blasted CNN moderator John King yesterday for raising the potentially damaging subject in his first question of the final debate before the Republican primary.

South Carolina has a heavy concentration of social conservatives who take a dim view of infidelity and promiscuous behaviour.

However, a Public Policy Polling survey released last night showed Mr Gingrich (35 per cent) with a six-percentage-point lead over former Massachusetts governor and frontrunner Mitt Romney (29 per cent), with Texan congressman Ron Paul and former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum tied at 15 per cent just 36 hours before the primary.

Mr. Gingrich said the claim made earlier in the day on US-based ABC News during an interview with his second wife, Marianne Gingrich, whom he divorced so he could marry his current wife, Callista, was a false story.

"I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for office, and I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that," he said.

The fiery exchange capped off the most extraordinary day of the Republican presidential campaign so far after Texas Governor Rick Perry abruptly dropped out of the race, and Mr. Santorum was declared -- belatedly -- to be the winner of the Iowa caucuses vote that kicked off the nomination process early this month.

In a reversal of fortunes that gives a late boost to his South Carolina campaign, Mr Santorum was declared the winner in Iowa yesterday by 34 votes after the final certification of votes from more than 1700 state precincts.

Mr. Romney, the Republican establishment favourite who built a career in business as chief executive of Bain Capital, was originally declared victor on the night of the Iowa vote by just eight votes ahead of Mr Santorum.

Mr. Romney then convincingly won the primary in New Hampshire, a state with Republican voters more attuned to his moderate brand of conservative politics, and until last night had been holding off Mr Gingrich's late surge.

Mr. Perry, who fared badly in the first two state votes and could not mount the revival he hoped in the south, threw in the towel yesterday and endorsed Mr Gingrich. While admitting Mr Gingrich was not perfect, Mr Perry said he believed in redemption and considered the former Speaker was the best candidate to beat Democrat President Barack Obama in November's general election.

Mr. Romney came under heavy fire in yesterday's debate among the four remaining candidates with Mr Gingrich and Mr Santorum pummelling him for policy U-turns on healthcare, abortion and immigration, as well as his record at Bain and reluctance to disclose his tax returns.

The daughters of Mr Gingrich from his first marriage issued a letter sent to ABC News in which they had asked for the network not to show an interview with second-wife Marianne Gingrich during a politically sensitive time.

 In the program that went to air, Marianne Gingrich said her then husband asked for a divorce in 1999 when he was giving speeches about family and religious values.

Later, after counselling, she claimed Mr Gingrich asked if he could stay in the marriage and see other women. "He was asking me for an open marriage, and I wouldn't do it."