6 things to keep an eye on in Iowa -- the Republicans

5. Does playing rough pay off?

Mitt Romney, once the clear-cut front-runner in Iowa, has sought to counter the surging Mike Huckabee with TV ads criticizing the former Arkansas governor's record. The strategy is reminiscent of the harsh tone John F. Kerry and John Edwards took against Howard Dean before the 2004 Iowa caucus, which helped derail Dean's candidacy. Huckabee called a recent Romney commercial "dishonest" -- will caucus-goers agree? Or will Iowa rally around Romney? And, since Romney has launched similar TV spots criticizing John McCain in New Hampshire, will voters' reactions in Iowa foreshadow Romney's finish in next Tuesday's primary?
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5. Does playing rough pay off? Mitt Romney, once the clear-cut front-runner in Iowa, has sought to counter the surging Mike Huckabee with TV ads criticizing the former Arkansas governor's record. The strategy is reminiscent of the harsh tone John F. Kerry and John Edwards took against Howard Dean before the 2004 Iowa caucus, which helped derail Dean's candidacy. Huckabee called a recent Romney commercial 'dishonest' -- will caucus-goers agree? Or will Iowa rally around Romney? And, since Romney has launched similar TV spots criticizing John McCain in New Hampshire, will voters' reactions in Iowa foreshadow Romney's finish in next Tuesday's primary? PHOTOS 6 things to keep an eye on -- the Democrats DISCUSS What do you see as the key factors?
Text by James Pindell and Jason Tuohey