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Michele Bachmann's hopes had been pinned on doing well in the Hawkeye State, where last summer she briefly soared in state polls and, in mid-August, won the Iowa Republican Party's presidential straw poll in Ames.

The field of GOP challengers narrowed a day after the caucuses as Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann said she is ending her 2012 presidential bid. Meanwhile, Texas Gov. Rick Perry went home to regroup after his poor showing in the Hawkeye State.

The poll looked at the effects of Iowa and found Mitt Romney maintaining a commanding lead.

Listen to a special podcast from NPR °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ on the first presidential contest of the year — and where the race goes from here.

ANALYSIS: The caucuses are largely an excuse for candidates to try to charm voters for the cameras, and for journalists to harass candidates, voters and the journalists' own audiences.

Even after a spectacular night of political drama, what Republicans are looking for in a presidential candidate remains unclear. Entrance polls reveal that Iowa voters were split on whether they want electability or principles.

The Texas governor said he's returning home to determine whether there is a path forward for his Republican presidential campaign. He got 10 percent of the vote and finished fifth in the caucuses, the opening contest to pick a challenger to President Obama.

No matter what happens in Iowa, some supporters are already looking toward the next test for GOP candidates, the New Hampshire primary.

On caucus day in Iowa, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was asked whether nominating a social conservative might sink the party's chances of winning the White House in November.

President Obama is using Iowa's largest newspaper to get his message across as Republicans compete in the Iowa caucuses, the first-in-the-nation nominating contest.