Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee picked up his first three Iowa legislative endorsements yesterday. But Mitt Romney, who leads in most polls of Iowa Republicans, also has a commanding lead in legislative endorsements.
Sixteen of the state's 63 Republican legislators, including House Minority Leader Christopher Rants, are backing Romney. That's double the number of his nearest rival, Sen. John McCain of Arizona. And as McCain's support has slipped, he's also suffered some defections from former supporters.
A year ago this month, McCain's Straight Talk America PAC announced a 13 member "Iowa Legislative Advisory Team." The day after that announcement, one member, Rep. Dave Heaton of Mt. Pleasant, announced that he had not made an endorsement and did not plan to. Since that time, three of the remaining 12 -- Rich Anderson, Dave Tjepkes and Doug Struyk -- have switched to Romney. (Switching sides wasn't a first for Struyk, who jumped ship from the Democratic Party in 2004.) Another ex-McCain supporter, Sen. Mark Zieman, is one of two Sam Brownbackers in the Legislature.
Three senators have endorsed Rudy Giuliani. All three -- Jeff Angelo, Thurman Gaskill and Mary Lundby -- are leaving the Legislature after next year.
Late starter Fred Thompson has yet to get formal backing from an Iowa legislator. Tom Tancredo, Duncan Hunter and Ron Paul are also batting oh-fer thus far.
Since it's baseball playoff time, a box score is in order.
| Total | Senate | House | |
| Romney | 16 | 4 | 12 |
| McCain | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| Giuliani | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Huckabee | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Brownback | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Uncommitted (so far) | 35 | 7 | 28 |
| Total | 67 | 20 | 47 |
And you can't tell those players without a scorecard.
| Legislator | District | Home County | Endorsement |
| Sen. Mark Zieman | Senate District 8 | Allamakee | Brownback |
| Sen. Nancy J. Boettger | Senate District 29 | Shelby | Brownback |
| Sen. E. Thurman Gaskill | Senate District 6 | Hancock | Giuliani |
| Sen. Mary Lundby | Senate District 18 | Linn | Giuliani |
| Sen. Jeff Angelo | Senate District 48 | Union | Giuliani |
| Sen. David Hartsuch | Senate District 41 | Scott | Huckabee |
| Rep. Dwayne Alons | House District 4 | Sioux | Huckabee |
| Rep. Carmine Boal | House District 70 | Polk | Huckabee |
| Sen. John Putney | Senate District 20 | Tama | McCain |
| Sen. Larry McKibben | Senate District 22 | Marshall | McCain |
| Sen. Pat Ward | Senate District 30 | Polk | McCain |
| Rep. Mike May | House District 6 | Dickinson | McCain |
| Rep. Bill Schickel | House District 13 | Cerro Gordo | McCain |
| Rep. Steven Lukan | House District 32 | Dubuque | McCain |
| Rep. Rod Roberts | House District 51 | Carroll | McCain |
| Rep. Walt Tomenga | House District 69 | Polk | McCain |
| Sen. Dave Mulder | Senate District 2 | Sioux | Romney |
| Sen. David Johnson | Senate District 3 | Osceola | Romney |
| Sen. Brad Zaun | Senate District 32 | Polk | Romney |
| Sen. James F. Hahn | Senate District 40 | Muscatine | Romney |
| Rep. Dave Deyoe | House District 10 | Story | Romney |
| Rep. Tami Wiencek | House District 21 | Black Hawk | Romney |
| Rep. Chuck Soderberg | House District 3 | Plymouth | Romney |
| Rep. Ralph Watts | House District 47 | Dallas | Romney |
| Rep. Dave Tjepkes | House District 50 | Webster | Romney |
| Rep. Christopher Rants | House District 54 | Woodbury | Romney |
| Rep. Jodi Tymeson | House District 73 | Madison | Romney |
| Rep. Linda Miller | House District 82 | Scott | Romney |
| Rep. Steven Olson | House District 83 | Clinton | Romney |
| Rep. Rich Anderson | House District 97 | Page | Romney |
| Rep. Greg Forristall | House District 98 | Pottawattamie | Romney |
| Rep. Doug Struyk | House District 99 | Pottawattamie | Romney |
| Rep. Royd Chambers | House District 5 | O'Brien | - |
| Sen. Jerry Behn | Senate District 24 | Boone | - |
| Sen. Steve Kettering | Senate District 26 | Sac | - |
| Sen. Ron Wieck | Senate District 27 | Woodbury | - |
| Sen. James A. Seymour | Senate District 28 | Harrison | - |
| Sen. Larry Noble | Senate District 35 | Polk | - |
| Sen. Paul McKinley | Senate District 36 | Lucas | - |
| Sen. Hubert Houser | Senate District 49 | Pottawattamie | - |
| Rep. Henry Rayhons | House District 11 | Hancock | - |
| Rep. Linda Upmeyer | House District 12 | Hancock | - |
| Rep. Chuck Gipp | House District 16 | Winneshiek | - |
| Rep. Pat Grassley | House District 17 | Butler | - |
| Rep. Dan Rasmussen | House District 23 | Buchanan | - |
| Rep. Kraig Paulsen | House District 35 | Linn | - |
| Rep. Dawn Pettengill | House District 39 | Benton | - |
| Rep. Lance Horbach | House District 40 | Tama | - |
| Rep. Polly Granzow | House District 44 | Hardin | - |
| Rep. Gary Worthan | House District 52 | Buena Vista | - |
| Rep. Dan Huseman | House District 53 | Cherokee | - |
| Rep. Clarence Hoffman | House District 55 | Crawford | - |
| Rep. Matt Windschitl | House District 56 | Harrison | - |
| Rep. Jack Drake | House District 57 | Pottawattamie | - |
| Rep. Clel Baudler | House District 58 | Adair | - |
| Rep. Dan Clute | House District 59 | Polk | - |
| Rep. Libby Jacobs | House District 60 | Polk | - |
| Rep. J. Scott Raecker | House District 63 | Polk | - |
| Rep. Jim Van Engelenhoven | House District 71 | Marion | - |
| Rep. Rich Arnold | House District 72 | Lucas | - |
| Rep. Betty De Boef | House District 76 | Keokuk | - |
| Rep. Jeff Kaufmann | House District 79 | Cedar | - |
| Rep. Jamie Van Fossen | House District 81 | Scott | - |
| Rep. Tom Sands | House District 87 | Louisa | - |
| Rep. Sandy Greiner | House District 89 | Washington | - |
| Rep. Dave Heaton | House District 91 | Henry | - |
| Rep. Cecil Dolecheck | House District 96 | Ringgold | - |
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