This could offer hope to Huckabee, but not to Giuliani. However, immigration may not be a deal-breaker: 75 percent said they could support a candidate who is less conservative than they are. Huckabee has been criticized for supporting pre-natal care for immigrants and educational opportunities for the children of immigrants, and only 13 percent said Huckabee agreed with them on this issue, compared to 26 percent for Romney. When asked what issue candidates should discuss, illegal immigration topped the list at 20 percent, and 44 percent of caucus-goers said illegal immigrants should lose their jobs and leave the country. Huckabee could run into trouble if immigration is as important an issue as the poll indicates. Overall, 57 percent of GOP caucus-goers said they haven't settled on one candidate. Half of Huckabee supporters said they had made up their mind, compared to two-thirds of Romney supporters who said they could change their mind before caucus night. While Romney still has the lead in Iowa, his support base is softer than that of Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor whose campaign has gained momentum in recent weeks. "I'm still not sure he would be the favorite to get the nomination, but he's certainly going to be a factor as we move on down the road," Schieffer added. "I think that Huckabee actually has a chance to win out thereā¦ If he does, that puts a whole new spin on the race." "Huckabee is a very good candidate in the sense he makes a very good appearance," CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer said. Iowa is a state tailor made for Huckabee's candidacy and message." ( Read more in 's campaign blog, Horserace) "A poll, of course, is simply a snapshot in time and we'll need to see more evidence of a Huckabee surge before buying into it totally," "But it's not surprising to see him gaining. While Huckabee's strong showing would seem to be a surprise, senior political editor Vaughn Ververs said it's the attention he's paid to the state coupled with his conservative message that is paying dividends. All other candidates were in single digits, including Fred Thompson, who had 9 percent support among likely caucus-goers. In the poll, Rudy Giuliani was in third in Iowa at 15 percent. Recent surveys have shown Huckabee picking up steam, but the CBS News/New York Times represents his best showing to date. While the Democratic contest in Iowa has been a three-way battle for some time, most polls have shown Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, with a strong lead in the Hawkeye State, dominating the GOP field. But in both states, large chunks of voters have yet to make up their minds, meaning the results of the contests that will kick off the 2008 nominating season are still difficult to predict.
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