GOP: Romney Secures Strong Start In State

By: Thomas Beaumont
Des Moines Register
Monday, Apr 16, 2007
"Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has established an organizational advantage over his rival candidates in Iowa, according to GOP officials in some of the leadoff caucus state's most populous counties."

...

"The race for the 2008 caucuses is fluid, with Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, having laid the most groundwork, followed closely by Arizona Sen. John McCain.

"Romney has had field staff in place around the state longer than his rivals, and has been busy making contacts and recruiting supporters.

"'There really isn't a frontrunner in Iowa right now,' former state GOP Chairman Mike Mahaffey said. 'The polls say it's Rudy Giuliani. But organizationally, I'd have to say Romney and McCain are doing more of the hard slogging.'"

...

"Those same polls show Romney running behind Giuliani and McCain, as do national surveys of Republican preference. But Romney has raised more money than any of his rivals and has been aggressively soliciting support for the Ames straw poll, an early test of strength in Iowa.

"The straw poll, a state Republican Party fundraiser, is scheduled for Aug. 11.

"Pottawattamie County Republican Chairman David Overholtzer said Romney has also been to western and southwest Iowa more often than his fellow candidates, which could give him a leg up in that GOP-rich part of Iowa.

"'If you were taking a snapshot right now, Governor Romney has got the most momentum in southwest Iowa,' Overholtzer said."