DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee are the leading presidential contenders among Iowans set to attend the state's caucuses, a poll indicates.
The Des Moines (Iowa) Register said Sunday that its most recent poll found Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, is being backed by 29 percent of Iowa residents planning to attend the state's GOP caucuses Jan. 3.
The top position in the poll marked a major accomplishment for Huckabee, who previously was significantly behind former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee in Iowa in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.
Meanwhile, Obama made a similar leap in popularity in Iowa by garnering support from 28 percent of those Iowans planning to take part in the Democratic caucuses.
A similar poll in October had the Illinois senator trailing Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., by 7 percentage points with only 22 percent of respondents' support.
Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina topped all Democratic candidates among the poll's male caucus-goers, the Register said.
Despite Huckabee and Obama's leads in the poll, more than half of respondents on both sides said they could be persuaded to change their vote before the caucuses.
