The latest ABC News/Washington Post poll shows that Mike Huckabee continues to build on his lead in the Iowa polls:
The race before Iowa’s Republican caucuses has narrowed to a two-person contest between former governors Mike Huckabee of Arkansas and Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, with Huckabee now perched atop the field, propelled by a big jump in support among religious women.
With two weeks to go before the first-in-the-nation caucuses, Huckabee registered the support of 35 percent of likely Republican caucusgoer, just above Romney, the longtime Iowa front-runner, at 27 percent. For the first time in Post-ABC Iowa polling, no other candidate registered in the double digits.
Thompson was backed by 9 percent, down from 15 percent a month ago, and Giuliani was the choice of 8 percent, down five percentage points. Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.) also won 8 percent support, followed by Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) at 6 percent, Rep. Tom Tancredo (Colo.) at 2 percent and Rep. Duncan Hunter (Calif.) at 1 percent.
Huckabee’s support in Iowa has risen on a steep curve. In a Post-ABC poll in late July, 8 percent of likely caucusgoers supported him, and last month his backing stood at 24 percent. His increase of 11 percentage points from November came despite a barrage of attacks from Romney and Thompson.
At this point, Hucakbee not winning Iowa would be a bigger story than if he actually wins there.
