US election 2012: Republican candidates jostle for 'Super Tuesday' advantage

Former Senator Rick Santorum, campaigning in the state of Georgia said Republicans should focus on ideas, and not try to attack Obama.

"We're not going to win this race, folks, by spending more money and beating up President Obama five, or six to one on television. That isn't going to happen. That's how one candidate has been able to win the race - not by painting a positive agenda, but by serially destroying, with negative ads, their opponent. Good luck doing that in the general election. It's not a winning formula. What's a winning formula is having better ideas - motivating the base of the Republican party - being authentic," Santorum said.

Former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich, also in Georgia, said his two Republican rivals, and the president had poor vision for the country.

"And I really believe that Proverbs is right: without vision the people perish. We have two nice people running, who are not visionaries. We have a president who has the wrong vision. And so we need to match our positive vision of an American future, with his negative vision of a socialist bureaucratic secular future," Gingrich said.

Voters in 10 states will vote in primary elections and caucuses on "Super Tuesday," a one-day event that could completely reshape the Republican race for the presidency.