The Washington Post said Saturday recent polls have shown Huckabee has gained significant ground on former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and now the two candidates are virtually tied in Iowa.

Romney had previously dominated in the Midwestern state through a costly and concerted campaign, earning substantial leads in early polls such as the Ames presidential straw poll.

But now Huckabee, a candidate who has struggled in fundraising and campaign marketing, apparently has caught up with Romney and is threatening a major upset.

"There is nothing like winning," said Bob Vander Plaats, Huckabee's campaign chairman in Iowa. "If we come in second, that's a story. If we beat Romney, the whole universe just changed."

The Post said Huckabee's surge in Iowa represents a growing trend in several states, including South Carolina and New Hampshire, where Republican front-runners' leads appear to be weakening, opening the way for other GOP candidates.