CBNNEWS.COM [1]
There's new twists and turns on the Republican campaign trail just ahead of Saturday's Nevada caucuses.
GOP sources now say real estate mogul Donald Trump is expected to endorse former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
The news comes after two Newt Gingrich campaign advisers claimed it was the former House speaker that "the Donald" would be throwing his support behind.
An endorsement from Trump would have given Gingrich's campaign a much-needed boost Thursday.
"I am running to be president of all the American people, and I am concerned about all the American people," Gingrich said.
Gingrich faces an uphill battle in Nevada. Romney won that state four years ago, and he's coming off this week's big win in Florida. He is considered the front-runner in the Nevada.
But Romney may have given his rivals fresh fuel against him with a comment he made Wednesday.
"I'm not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I'll fix it. You could focus on the rich, that's not my focus. You can focus on the very poor, that's not my focus. My focus is on middle-income Americans," he told CNN's Soledad O'Brien.
Romney opponents argue that his comments shows the millionaire businessman is out of touch with most Americans.
His campaign quickly responded by saying Romney is concerned about all people, but the campaign has a special focus on middle-income Americans because they have suffered the most during Barack Obama's presidency.
Romney also renewed his support for automatic increases in the federal minimum wage to keep pace with inflation.
Gingrich and Romney have several campaign events scheduled across Nevada Thursday.
Meanwhile, former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., appeared at campaign events in Colorado. Wednesday. He's now in Nevada where he's scheduled to meet with voters in Henderson and Fallon. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, is also in Nevada, with plans to host rallies in Elko and Reno.
Romney is believed to have the advantage in other GOP contests later this month, such as Michigan where he was born and his father served as governor. He is also considered to be favored in western states like Arizona, which has a large Mormon population.