WASHINGTON, USA (AP) — The captivating and chaotic Republican presidential race was briefly sidetracked by an almost farcical diversion yesterday, with conflicting reports about whether Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich was in line for the endorsement of Donald Trump, the American master of publicity. In the end, Trump went with Romney.

The endorsement would put yet another Las Vegas casino mogul's thumb on the scales of the Republican race for the nomination to challenge President Barack Obama this fall.

Trump has played an unusually prominent role in the presidential contest since last spring, when he mused publicly about joining the Republican field. His blunt criticism of Obama and fierce warnings of a nation in decline resonated with tea party activists. The president dismissed Trump as a "carnival barker" for reviving false claims that Obama was not born in the US.

Gingrich's camp was so confident of Trump's endorsement that those close to the former House speaker confirmed it Wednesday night for news organisations, including the AP. But yesterday, Gingrich made clear he wasn't expecting Trump's backing: "No."

Trump, a real estate mogul and reality TV show host, is known for being unpredictable, and a circus-like atmosphere surrounded the planned endorsement -- though it was unlikely to have much effect beyond a blitz of publicity.

Trump, in interviews, has suggested that he wasn't enthusiastic about Romney's candidacy, and he dismissed Romney as a "small business guy" during a CNN interview last April.

But Trump, in confirming the endorsement yesterday afternoon, told reporters he made the decision after getting to know Romney after meeting with him several times in the past few months. He also cited Romney's performances in debates and his tough stance on China.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor and venture capitalist, has not spoken about the endorsement. Romney finds himself again leading the Republican race after administering a crushing defeat of Gingrich in Florida's primary on Tuesday.

Despite the confusion over Trump, American gambling interests have already weighed in heavily for Gingrich. He has benefited massively from the political support of casino baron Sheldon Adelman, who, with his wife, has given $10 million to the campaign. The support gave Gingrich the financial means to soundly defeat Romney in South Carolina two weeks ago.

The endorsement of the extremely wealthy Trump could draw greater attention to Romney's fortune, a day after Romney said in a CNN interview Wednesday: "I'm not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I'll fix it. I'm not concerned about the very rich. They're doing just fine. I'm concerned about the very heart of America, the 90-95 per cent of Americans who are struggling."

Politicians in both parties pounced on the remarks as yet another sign that Romney's huge fortune, estimated to be as much as $250 million, has made him insensitive to the lives of ordinary Americans who are struggling financially in the slow recovery from the Great Recession.

Romney has formidable advantages in fund-raising and organisation. His campaign raised $24 million in the final months of 2011, dwarfing his competitors and leaving him with $20 million to fight a primary battle that's increasingly spread across many states on the way to the Republican National Convention in August.

What's more, the nomination fight so far has been defined by debates -- typically a strong point for Gingrich -- but he faces a three-week stretch without one. The candidates will next debate in Arizona on February 22.

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