Iowa's many undecided voters hold the key to caucuses

Some are first-time caucusgoers. Lorrie Stringham of Guthrie Center, Iowa, a technician for Iowa Telecom, goes into a Clinton event at a junior high gymnasium carrying a sign boosting her local union.

"I'm concerned there's no healthcare benefits for retirees," says Ms. Stringham, a former Republican who switched to independent. Her friend is coaxing her to caucus for Clinton, but Stringham still isn't sure if Clinton is "the one." She's deciding between Edwards, who she calls "down to earth," and Clinton, who she says "is that way, too, sometimes."

Clinton finishes her speech. Did she close the deal? "It's getting closer!" Stringham laughs. "I'm all about the economy. I'm a middle-class person and I'm making way more money than I was making 10 years ago, but it doesn't feel like it."

She wants Clinton to "fix the economy," and "make America America again." But, even if Clinton does win Stringham's support, work could keep her from caucusing.

Another maybe for Clinton at the Guthrie Center event is Leanna Plagman, who has also never caucused before. Her motivation: "I have a son-in-law in Iraq, and I want him home." For now, she's leaning toward Edwards, but she's also considering Obama and Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, in addition to Clinton.

At an appearance by Mr. Romney at a diner in Newton, Iowa, on Saturday, most of those in attendance seemed solidly behind the former governor of Massachusetts. One undecided GOP caucusgoer, Jean Ferguson, a registered nurse from Newton, says it's between Romney and Mr. Huckabee.

"My main issue that's driving my vote is life," she says.

Both Romney and Huckabee oppose abortion rights, but she is hesitating over Romney, because he came to his abortion position just in the past few years.

Still, "I love, I love that he wants to strengthen the family," she says. "I love that he has all these kids that are all married and have all these grandchildren. To me, what shapes an individual is their home life, and so strengthening the families, trying to decrease all these children out of wedlock, to me that's a big issue."

On Huckabee, Ms. Ferguson says she's seen the ads slamming him for raising taxes in Arkansas, "but if he was doing that to improve the schools, that's a big plus," she says.

She sees both Huckabee and Romney as electable next November.

Another uncommitted caucusgoer checking out Romney, Leroy Davis of Newton, Iowa, says he liked the ex-governor's response to the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, but that he's also open to both Huckabee and Thompson.

"I'll probably go listen to Thompson tonight," says Mr. Davis, who is retired from the trucking business. "But I've followed him over the years, and he's always voted kind of like I'd want someone to vote. I think he's an honest guy."

This late in the game, pre-Iowa, appearances by candidates are aimed mostly at rallying supporters – and making sure they actually show up on caucus night. But there are also the "political tourists" who come just out of curiosity.

"It's free entertainment," says Marilee Doane of Newton.

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