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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.

While Iowa caucusgoers are kicking off the official 2012 Republican presidential nominating contest, in the social media realm among users nationwide, Texas Rep. Ron Paul already is in the lead, according to a data analysis of Facebook use by Socialbakers, which collects social media statistics.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney eked out an eight-vote win after he and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum swapped the slimmest of leads back and forth in Tuesday's caucuses. With returns complete, each had won the support of roughly 25 percent of caucusgoers.

In 2008, young voters turned out in droves to elect Barack Obama, but now seem less likely to support his re-election campaign. Some young liberals have even thrown their support behind Republican Ron Paul.

In a last-minute pitch he hoped would make inroads with voters concerned about electability, Gingrich waxed nostalgic about Ronald Reagan and derided Washington as "cloud cuckoo land."

NPR's Don Gonyea and Ari Shapiro have been traveling through Iowa these last few days and weeks. They join Robert Siegel to talk about Tuesday's caucus vote.