Romney and Gingrich clash in post-Carolina debate

Republican presidential contenders Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich clashed repeatedly in heated, personal terms in the first campaign debate since South Carolina’s primary scrambled the race to pick a challenger to President Barack Obama.

Mr Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, branded his chief rival as an “influence peddler” in Washington, only to be accused in turn by Mr Gingrich, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, of spreading falsehoods over many years in politics during a two-hour debate marked by interruptions and finger pointing.