At first there were more reporters than voters in the new Scott County Republican Party’s headquarters in Davenport, the site of GOP presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee’s first campaign stop of the day. But the folding chairs quickly filled up and soon potential Caucus-goers had to sit on the floor or stand by the time Huckabee entered the room.
Bettendorf resident Chip Shawn had been considering John McCain and Fred Thompson, but after he heard Huckabee his mind was made up. "The thing I like about Governor Huckabee the most is he’s really got a real joy. A lot of the other candidates to me seem to have a strong political message and maybe kind of lack the joy that I like to see in a candidate," he said. "…(Huckabee) seems very bold and aggressive and I like that."
Eighteen-year-old Steffen Nitchee, a student at Iowa State University, was there today to see Huckabee, too. Nitchee had been supporting Mitt Romney, but he’s reconsidered. "A lot of it was the attacks (Romney) had on Huckabee…It really focused attention on him, like he had something to attack him for," Nitchee says. Nitchee now plans to vote for Huckabee on Caucus night.
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama cancelled a campaign appearance in Davenport today as his plane couldn’t land at the fogged-in airport.