Fierce debate tops bizarre GOP campaign day in SC

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — The race for the Repub­li­can pres­i­den­tial nom­i­na­tion took a turn toward the South Car­olina sur­real Thurs­day as Rick Perry dropped out, Newt Gin­grich faced stun­ning alle­ga­tions from an ex-wife and Mitt Rom­ney strug­gled to main­tain a shaky front-runner’s standing.