When the Republican candidates for the presidential nomination took the stage in Iowa for the last debate before the state's January 3 caucus, it was mostly tame considering the tightness of the race. Short, pointed jabs were taken by a few of the candidates, but for the most part they appeared they were trying to show the Iowa voters who they are and what they are about.
Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor, pointed out that he came from humble beginnings, make him more in tune with the plight of the middle and working class. He was light attacked by Ton Tancredo for his attempts to loosen laws concerning illegal immigrants and is now pushing for tighter border controls.
Huckabee is showing to be the choice of 30 percent of the probable Iowa voters according to numbers published at usaelectionpolls.com with Mitt Romney a close second at 25 percent. While the spread may seem wide enough to make Huckabee complacent, he understands that the poll as a plus or minus five percent margin of error and the nine percent of Iowa Republicans still have not made up their minds.
Nationally, Mike Huckabee has been surging and is as low as 16% according to USA Today and as high as 22% according to CNN.
The two leading candidates in Iowa may have been helped by John McCain and Duncan Hunter who insinuated that ethanol, which has been an economic boom for Iowa farmers, may cost more to produce than it is worth. Many in Iowa may see this as an indication that they support large oil companies more than working farmers. McCain also indicated he would cut ethanol subsidies as a way to balance the federal budget.
Mike Huckabee is polling at a low of 7% in New York and 10% in Ohio but performs very well in North Carolina at 33% and in Iowa at 32%.
