3 GOP hopefuls court S.C.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will hold a rally Wednesday in Columbia and Thursday in Greer as he turns his attention here from tonight's New Hampshire's primary.

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman also outlined plans to campaign here later this week, including a visit at 7 p.m. Wednesday at North Charleston City Hall.

Meanwhile, Texas Gov. Rick Perry is crisscrossing the Upstate today trying to regenerate enthusiasm for a campaign that faltered in Iowa a week ago.

Romney announced he will hold a rally just after 6 p.m. Wednesday at The Hall at Senate's End, 320 Senate St. in Columbia.

Just before 8 a.m. Thursday, he will hold a rally at Cherokee Trikes & More in Greer.

Perry made stops Monday in Anderson, Pickens and Greenville and is expected to keep up the busy pace here as his campaign tries to recover from a fifth-place showing in Iowa's Jan. 3 caucus.

Romney narrowly won the Iowa caucus and is favored in New Hampshire and in South Carolina, according to recent polls.

Huntsman, who ignored Iowa in hopes of scoring well in New Hampshire, will campaign at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the University of South Carolina's Moore School of Business. He will then hold his town hall meeting in North Charleston and also will attend a Berkeley County GOP breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at Daniel Island's Honeycomb Cafe.

All six GOP candidates also are expected to join Fox News host and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee for a forum at noon Saturday at Charleston's Sottile Theatre, though their campaigns have not confirmed those appearances.

Reach Robert Behre at 937-5771.