GOP presidential candidates seek center stage

Tonight's Republican debate is the last time the potential GOP presidential nominees will appear together on stage before the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses. The amount of time a candidate gets to speak -- and where they are positioned on stage -- tends to correlate with their standing in the polls.

Related: Who said what in the GOP debates

Solidly in the center

    Flirting with the middle

      On the edges

        Debate date

        GOP support before debate

        Position on stageCENTER

        Percent of total words spoken

          1,000

          2,000

          3,000

          4,000

          Words per issue

            SOURCE: Washington Post analysis, Gallup polling among Republicans and GOP-leaning Independents. GRAPHIC: Wilson Andrews, Ted Mellnik, Laura Stanton and Karen Yourish - The Washington Post. Published Dec. 14, 2011.