The Hill News

Newt Gingrich met with Virginia Republicans â€" including Gov. Bob McDonnell â€" in Richmond on Thursday, saying that his goal was to place in the top four in the coming Iowa caucuses.

The expectation-managing comments represent a departure from the gusto Gingrich displayed earlier this month, when he told ABC News that "it's very hard not to look at the recent polls and think the odds are very high I'm going to be the nominee."

Since then, a series of attack ads launched by the campaigns and affiliated political action committees of Gingrich's main challengers â€" Mitt Romney, Ron Paul and Rick Perry â€" have battered Gingrich's poll numbers. A spate of polls released this week have Gingrich now polling third in the Hawkeye State.

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