News India-Times

On the Democratic side, three candidates -Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois and John Edwards, former senator from North Carolina -- are running neck-and-neck-and-neck, with the rest of the field fighting to squeeze past one of them to finish third.

Among Republicans, former governors Mike Huckabee of Arkansas and Mitt Romney of Massachusetts are battling for first place, while the race for third is a toss-up among several contenders.

The closeness of the caucus contests here increases the import of these final days -- and any verbal misstep, breakthrough TV ads or crystallizing moment on the campaign trail -in what already have been exceptionally fluid races.

Iowans are scheduled to vote on January 3.

"We've never had anything like this," said David Nagle, a former congressman and past chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party, who has been tracking the caucuses since they gained national attention in 1972. "If you can find a three-headed coin, flip it. That's about the best projection I can give you."

The onslaught in Iowa reflects its centrality to the presidential contest, despite the efforts of politicians in more populous places -- including Michigan, Florida and California -- to cut the state down to size by moving their contests up to January and early February. All that Iowa's detractors managed to do was to elevate the state's import and add uncertainty by pushing the campaign into the heart of the holiday season.

"This is really a caucus like no other," said Jeff Link, a longtime Iowa Democratic strategist and Edwards supporter. "Everyone feels they need to get in as many visits and events as they can between the 26th and the 3rd because it's close. Everyone's going to try to do everything they can in these closing days."

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Labels: Barack Obama wins Iowa, Hillary Clinton, Mike Huckabee

# posted by PressMart Team @ 2:34 AM