John McCain and Mitt Romney are slugging it out and leaving Rudy Giuliani unscathed, writes the New York Times' Michael Cooper. McCain and Romney are in "direct competition because they have both invested enormous resources to compete in the early nominating contests," while Giuliani is "leaning toward competing more heavily in the more populous states" that will vote on Feb. 5. McCain's attacks elevate Romney to some extent and have "already renewed questions" about his temper.

McCain's "quick with and stiletto-sharp tounge" has been used against Fred Thompson, Sen. Jon Kyl and Romney in the past week and all on their immigration positions, writes The Politico's Jonathan Martin. "And that is why it is no coincidence that all three recent examples of McCain's prickly and direct manner had to do with what is now the signal issue for the conservative base. Already viewed with doubt by some Republican regulars, McCain cannot let Romney, or anybody else, define him as uniquely out of step with the party. What campaign finance reform was to many conservative elites in 2000 is what immigration could be to the conservative grass roots in 2008: an issue that makes McCain's candidacy a non-starter."

The war of words subtly continued in Texas yesterday where McCain called on fellow Republican candidates to propose their own immigration solutions and Romney called the bill McCain backs, "for all intents and purposes, amnesty."

Romney's distancing himself from the immigration bill hasn't been risk free, as ABC News' Rick Klein notes: "Romney's relationship with Jeb Bush could suffer. The former Florida governor has voiced strong support for the type of immigration reform that's now before the Senate, viewing it as an important priority of his brother's -- and the right type of approach to a complicated issue." Bush's former aides have flocked to Romney's camp and Bush has steered some there.

As Romney does well in Iowa and New Hampshire polls, he struggles to rise above single digits in "South Carolina, Alabama, and Florida, likely to be the South's early primary battlegrounds," writes the Boston Globe's Scott Helman. Romney has spent considerable time and money in South Carolina and in return "Romney has won the support of important county Republican leaders, topped rivals in several straw polls, and picked up key endorsements from political figures such as Senator Jim DeMint." However, Dixie culture, including a strong presence of Baptists, poses a hurdle for Romney.

The Washington Post's Michael Shear and Paul Kane report that after a "lackluster fundraising effort" at the beginning of the year, McCain is "forgoing many opportunities for public campaigning and sharply cutting back his role as a high-profile legislator with a knack for brokering deals," which amounts to an increased focus on fundraising.

Meanwhile, Giuliani is being targeted by a number of conservative Catholic political organizations, reports the New York Observer's Rebecca Sinderbrand. In a touch of good news, Gallup surveyed gun owners and found Giuliani is "rated more favorably than any other presidential candidate," while Hillary Clinton is rated the most negatively.

Meanwhile, John Edwards is set to speak to the Council on Foreign Relations this morning. The San Fransico Chronicle's Carla Marinucci writes that Edwards, "who has been portrayed as the champion of the poor and the son of a humble mill worker, now faces the possibility that voters will have a different image: that of a millionaire trial lawyer who talks one way and lives another" in light of him charging tens of thousands to speak about poverty, the $400 haircut kerfuffle and his hedge fund employment.

Get these and today's other elections stories at RCP's Politics and Elections page.

--------------------------------------------
Follow the RCP Blog on Twitter.
Become a fan of RCP on Facebook.
--------------------------------------------