Iowa Upsets Deliver Wins for Huckabee and Obama

Early results in Iowa's caucuses on Thursday produced upset results in both the Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns, putting Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee in first place.

Hillary Clinton, was relegated to third place, a dramatic setback for a candidate once seen in control of a formidable political machine.

Huckabee established a clear lead over Mitt Romney, relying on a network on a surge of support from evangelical Christian voters.

On the Democratic side, John Edwards was clinging on to second place just ahead of Clinton.

With 1,695 of 1,781 precincts reporting, Obama had 37.4% of the vote, a clear lead over Edwards with 29.9% and Clinton on 29.6%.

The excitement of the Democratic contest was reflected in the turnout figures with 221,000 participating in the caucuses, a huge increase on 2004 which saw 125,000 voters.

The Obama campaign had been counting on such a surge, hoping to attract a wave of younger and first-time caucus goers.

On the Republican side, Huckabee had captured 34% of the vote with 1,369 of 1,781 precincts reporting. Mitt Romney, who had outspent the folksy Baptist preacher by nearly 20 to one, was on 25%.

A spokesman for the Romney campaign attributed the victory to Huckabee's appeal to evangelical Christians.

However, Romney said he expected to even the score in New Hampshire, which holds its primary on Tuesday.

"This is obviously a bit like a baseball game," he told reporters. "First inning in, well it's a 50-inning ballgame. I'm gonna keep on battling all the way and anticipate I get the nomination when it's all said and done, but, you know, congratulations for the first round to Mike, and we'll go on to New Hampshire."

Thursday night's results confirmed Iowa's reputation for reducing the field of presidential candidates. Fred Thompson and John McCain were battling it out for third position, and both should go on to fight another day in New Hampshire.

That may not be the case however on the Democratic side where governor Bill Richardson and senators Joe Biden and Chris Dodd barely registered in the polls.