Subdued Perry tries to steady campaign in Iowa

ORANGE CITY, Iowa -- Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry has lost some of his swagger.

The Texas governor is campaigning in a more subdued and cautious tone after falling in polls in the wake of poor debate performances last month. The campaign's next debate is Tuesday.

Perry stuck carefully to his talking points during a four-stop campaign tour of Iowa this weekend. He took a few questions from voters, but none from reporters.

Several voters asked why he granted in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants in Texas. Perry defended the program strictly on economic grounds.

He said many young immigrants would become "tax wasters" instead of taxpayers without a college education.