Iowa: Obama has "slight edge" in 3-way split with Hillary & Edwards, while GOP has Mitt Fever

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Competition in the Cornfields
The top three Democratic presidential contenders are locked in a three-way race among likely Iowa caucus-goers, according to the latest NEWSWEEK Poll—while Romney leads his Republican rivals in the Hawkeye State.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21038955/site/newsweek/



Hearty Husker Handshake: Romney stumping in Ames, Iowa, earlier this month

Web Exclusive
By Brian Braiker
Newsweek
Updated: 6:51 a.m. PT Sept 29, 2007

Sept. 29, 2007 - Sen. Hillary Clinton holds a double-digit lead over her rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination in many national polls. But in Iowa, home to the January 2008 caucus that is the first major event of the electoral season, the Democratic race is much tighter, according to the latest NEWSWEEK Poll. Among all Iowa Democrats surveyed, Clinton enjoys a 6-point lead over her nearest rival, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. But among likely Democratic caucus-goers, she is locked in a three-way race with Obama and former North Carolina senator John Edwards, with Obama enjoying a slight edge.

Meanwhile, the NEWSWEEK Poll found that former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has emerged as the top choice among Iowa’s GOP voters—well ahead of former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who leads in most national polls. But Romney’s religious beliefs could pose a problem; less than half of all Republicans in the state (45 percent) think the country is ready to elect a Mormon president (35 percent do not).

With less than four months to go before the caucuses, both races still appear quite fluid. While Romney is the first choice of 24 percent of likely GOP caucus-goers, none of the Republican candidates comes close to commanding the support of a majority of GOP voters surveyed. And Clinton appears to be the only Democrat with strong support from her party’s registered voters.

Among all Iowa Democratic voters, Clinton draws 31 percent, followed by Obama (25 percent) and Edwards (21 percent). But among likely caucus-goers, Obama enjoys a slim lead, polling 28 percent to best Clinton (24 percent) and Edwards (22 percent). Bill Richardson is the only other Democratic candidate to score in the double digits (10 percent).

[aquart]

1. I knew it. GOP goes for the surface pretty.

[Cha]

2. Look at the clueless one

shaking mitt-the-shit's(literally) hand.