Iowa's losers

Back in September, Rick Perry was the betting favourite to win both the Iowa caucus and the Republican nomination. Instead, he scored just 10 per cent of the vote last night, leaving him down in fifth place. This disappointing result may well be the final nail in the coffin of Perry’s campaign, and last night he certainly sounded like a candidate at the end of the line:

‘With the voters’ decision tonight in Iowa, I’ve decided to return to Texas, assess the results of tonight’s caucus, determine whether there is a path forward for myself in this race… With a little prayer and a little reflection, I’m going to decide the best path forward.’

Although Perry’s debate performances have been poor, they have provided some of the most entertaining moments of the race so far, whether goading Mitt Romney on illegal immigrants or forgetting which agencies he wants to abolish.