Winning Ugly, but Winning  —  I don't care if you call it a win or a tie.  In Iowa on Tuesday, Mitt Romney had a performance that looks ugly on the stat sheet , but which accomplished quite a bit when you consider it in its broader context.  —  The two most important things that Mr. Romney accomplished are as follows:

Romney Wins Iowa Caucus by 8 Votes  —  “Onto New Hampshire, let's get that job done!”  Mitt Romney told supporters before being declared the winner.  More Photos »  —  DES MOINES — Mitt Romney's quest to swiftly lock down the Republican presidential nomination with a commanding finish …

Everything You Heard Last Night Was Bull, Perry Might Want to Stay In, & a Newtlear Attack  —  As you wake up this morning, Rick Santorum only lost to Mitt Romney by 8 votes.  Santorum spent about a dollar per vote and Romney spent hundreds of dollars for his votes.

Bachmann cancels South Carolina trip  —  Per a tweet from the AP, Michele Bachmann has canceled her planned trip to South Carolina, and has called a press conference for 10 a.m. central time.  —  I've emailed a campaign spokeswoman and haven't heard back.  —  But after Bachmann's …

Iowa Results Show Romney's Weakness Even Against GOP ‘Unelectables’  —  What can you say about an alleged frontrunner who could barely top the Man-on-Dog guy?  If Mitt Romney can't beat Rick Santorum, he ought to find another party to run in.  —  You gotta love a party in which Mitt Romney …

Rickrolled: Three Lessons from Iowa … - Is the Virginia Law Keeping Perry and Gingrich Off the Ballot Constitutional?  — The Real Threat to Marriage Isn't Gay Marriage—It's Straight Civil Unions  — The App That Keeps You Going to the Gym by Charging You Money When You Don't

Bachmann Ends Presidential Run — Source  —  Rep. Michele Bachmann is suspending her presidential campaign, said a senior Republican official with direct knowledge of the lawmaker's plans.  The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Minnesota lawmaker, a favorite …

First Thoughts: What we learned from last night  —  NBC's Chuck Todd and David Gregory assess the results from the Iowa caucuses and discuss where the race goes from here. … By NBC's Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Brooke Brower  —  *** What we learned from last night …

Bachmann cancels SC trip after poor Iowa finish  —  DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann canceled her campaign trip to South Carolina on Wednesday after a dismal showing in the Iowa caucuses.  —  Campaign manager Keith Nahigian told The Associated Press …

DNC chairwoman: Romney's Iowa caucus win is ‘a loss’  —  The chairwoman for the Democratic National Committee on Wednesday sought to slow Mitt Romney's momentum as the winner of the Iowa caucuses, the first vote of the 2012 primary season.  —  “When is a win a loss?

“We have nearly reached the Rubicon when the ‘not Romney’ crowd is pining for Jon Huntsman”  —  So says Erick Erickson.  Is he right? … Can he atone for that flipping of the bird before next Tuesday?  Ninety-five percent of you will say “NO” in the comments, but let's …

Romney wins Iowa by 8 votes - Fallout: Perry done; Santorum strong; Gingrich angry - Cordray recess appointment?  - Oil surges on Iran fear  —  By Ben White (bwhite@politico.com; Twitter: @morningmoneyben)  —  ROMNEY WINS IOWA BY 8 VOTES - With 100 percent of Iowa precincts reporting …