Republican presidential candidates are going head to head Tuesday night in the Iowa Republican Caucus. It’s the first major hurdle in the 2012 race for the White House. Our Josh Robin is in Iowa and has the latest ahead of the polls closing.

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IOWA — The 2012 presidential election season begins with the Iowa Republican Caucus taking place today.

As the presidential nominating process gets underway, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney comes in as the favorite as he holds a slight lead in most polls ahead of Texas Congressman Ron Paul.

On Monday, Romney told a crowd in Iowa that he expects to win.

Rick Santorum, who has recently been surging in the polls, is in third place.

Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich, and Michele Bachmann are the other main contenders in the caucus.

The presidential hopefuls are giving their case as to why they should be in the White House.

“Real cuts and a shrinking of the size of the federal government,” said Ron Paul. “We can’t do that unless you raise the one significant question, and that’s what the role of government should be.”

“This has been a failed presidency,” said Mitt Romney. “And I remember after he was elected, he went on the Today Show and he said to the commentator, ‘Look, if I can’t get the economy turned around in three years, I’ll be looking at a one-term proposition.’ Well, I’m here to collect. We’re taking it back.”

“What America needs is a president who thinks about the children and the grandchildren of this country and the future of this country and puts that above his own petty, arrogant ambitions and instead serves the country,” said Newt Gingrich.

Back in 2008, Obama was the Iowa Democratic caucus winner with 38 percent of the vote.