We're hitting, in prime Republican Party turf, another period in which
the number of Democratic candidates is dwarfing that of GOP guys. At
the beginning of last week, four of the six Democrats running Iowa
campaigns came through the area (and then later in the week three
Republicans made appearances). As we reach eight days to the Iowa
caucuses, it's not clear if any GOP candidates will stump through one
last time. The latest schedules of John McCain and Fred Thompson show
they won't be here through Dec. 30, so the question remains on whether
they will make one final surge through Northwest Iowa.