GOP presidential candidates prepare for SC debate

[January 19, 2012]  (AP) -- The five Republicans seeking their party's nomination for president are preparing for the last televised debate before Saturday's South Carolina primary.

The two-hour debate in Charleston, S.C., is set to air on CNN at 8 p.m. EST Thursday. It's sponsored by CNN and the Southern Republican Leadership Conference.

Ahead of the debate, Newt Gingrich is speaking at two town hall meetings Thursday in Bluffton and Beaufort and is visiting Walterboro.

Mitt Romney plans to visit his campaign headquarters in Charleston on Thursday morning, and Rick Santorum has events scheduled in Mount Pleasant and Charleston before Thursday night's debate.

[Associated Press]

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