BASING its prediction on entrance polls, Cable News Network early this morning declared Kansas Senator Bob Dole the winner of the Iowa Republican caucuses, the first act of the 1996 US Presidential campaign.
The conservative commentator, Mr Pat Buchanan, and the former Tennessee governor, Mr Lamar Alexander, were in second and third place, CNN said.
The placing were borne out by the first trickle of official returns from the mid west state.
The polls indicate a collapse in support for the millionaire publisher, Mr Steve Forbes, who has flooded local television with negative advertisements, helping make it the most vicious Republican fight in recent years.
Mr Forbes spent $187,000 dollars on one television station alone, promoting the idea of a flat tax for every American and attacking front runner Mr Dole.
Nine Republican candidates faced off in Iowa. Full official results will not be known until later today.
The second big loser in the Iowa caucuses appeared to be Texas Senator Phil Gramm, a heavily funded conservative who said he might drop out if he finished fourth or worse.
In the caucuses in 99 counties, electors met in homes and schools at 7.0 p.m. (1.0 a.m. Irish time) to debate the merits of various candidates, and then cast ballots. Traditionally the winner of the Iowa race has no guarantee of gaining the Republican nomination. Senator Dole won in 1988 but lost the New Hampshire primary to Vice President George Bush.
In a poll in New Hampshire yesterday Mr Dole and Mr Forbes were neck and neck at 25 per cent each for next week's primary, with Mr Buchanan third with 19 per cent.