Republican candidates debate who’s best placed to beat Obama

Newt Gingrich has compared himself to Ronald Reagan in the last debate among Republican presidential candidates before the first primaries early in the New Year.

Gingrich insisted he stood the best chance against Barack Obama next year.

The former Congressional House Speaker said: “I believe that I can debate Barack Obama and I believe in seven three-hour debates. Barack Obama will not have a leg to stand on in trying to defend a record that is terrible and an ideology that is radical.”

After a slow start, Gingrich has recently emerged as the lead conservative alternative to the more moderate Mitt Romney.

The former Massachusetts governor saved most of his firepower for Obama, telling the audience: “This economy has every potential to continue to lead the world. Our president thinks America is in decline. It is if he’s president. It’s not if I’m president. This is gonna be an American century.”

The first primaries will be held on January 3 in Iowa, where Gingrich, Romney and Ron Paul are all potential winners.

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