Interesting new numbers from Scott Rasmussen on the Republican race in Iowa. In a poll of likely caucus participants taken earlier this week, Mike Huckabee is at 28 percent, Mitt Romney is at 27 percent, and John McCain is at 14 percent. Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani remain in single digits, tied at 8 percent. Among the findings is what could be the beginning of a Huckabee slide: “Among those likely to take part in the Iowa Republican caucuses, 67 percent now have a favorable opinion of Huckabee. That’s down from 81 percent a week ago and 76 percent in late November. The number with a Very Favorable opinion has fallen from 51 percent to 38 percent over the past week.” The only good news for Fred Thompson, who is in Iowa now and will remain here through the caucuses on January 3 (with a day off at home for Christmas), is that many of the undecided voters say he is their second choice. (Huckabee is popular with this group, too.) Writes Rasmussen: “Among those who say there’s a good chance they could change their mind, Thompson and Huckabee top the second choice list.” Several Iowans I’ve talked to at Thompson events over the past couple of days say that they would have counted themselves likely Huckabee supporters a week ago or a month ago. As their presence suggests, they have migrated to Thompson. If that’s the beginning of a trend, it is not showing up in Rasmussen’s numbers. Thompson is not the only candidate who has decided to spend more time in Iowa. John McCain is planning to be in Iowa on December 26 and December 27, looking to capitalize on his recent endorsement by the Des Moines Register.
