2012 Iowa Republican Caucus: Its a Three Way Race Between Romney, Santorum and Paul (Update: Ron Paul Finishes Third)

The 2012 Iowa Caucus as been a nip and tuck, too close to call horse race all night long. Its been back and forth between the three lead horses, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul. What will come of this, is Iowa really going to make Ron Paul the winner? Really?

See real time poll results at Fox News.

Presently with 87% of the vote in at 9:50 PM CST … Santorum 25%, Romney 25% and Paul 22%. It is rather interesting that Paul’s negative and nasty ads may have cost him voted in the waning moments leading into today’s caucus vote. Paul may have savaged Gingrich; however, he might have done harm to himself as well.

Continued updates can be found at The Other McCain … Santorum having a hell of a showing tonight, Beating even surge projections. Talk about peaking just at the right time. Will Santorum be able to sustain the momentum and the slings and arrows that will follow not that he is a top tier candidate?

UPDATE I: Fox News predicts that Ron Paul finishes third. WOW, what happened to all the Paulies in Iowa? Third? Sorry folks but this is a major failure and set back for the Paul campaign.

UPDATE II: So far predicted finishes … 3rd Ron Paul, 4th Newt Gingrich, 5th Perry, 6th Michele Bachmann and 7th Huntsman. It is still up in the air as to who is #1 and #2, Romney or Santorum.

UPDATE III: At 10:44  PM CST with 95% of votes counted: Santorum 29,017 – Romney 28,908

UPDATE IV: 11:23 PM CST – Romney 29,625 – Santorum 25,584