As Byron noted yesterday, the latest Rasmussen poll in Iowa has Romney at 25%, Thompson at 19%, Huckabee at 18%, Giuliani at 13%, and McCain at 6%. This is the major effect that Huckabee could have on the race–as a spoiler pushing more viable candidates down into embarrassing finishes. Presumably with Brownback dropping out, Huckabee is only going to get stronger. I think if there is any real chance of Rudy or McCain finishing fourth or fifth, they should find a reason to pull out of the state. That will make Iowa less important and perhaps drain a Romney victory of some of its meaning (like in the straw poll). It’s also possible that, by allowing a consolidation of the field, it will make it more likely someone will be able to beat Romney in Iowa. I think McCain needs Romney to go down so the senator will have a better chance at winning New Hampshire; and Rudy should want Romney to go down because the former Massachusetts governor projects as a stronger competitor the rest of the way than Thompson. If they pulled out, McCain and Rudy would both probably want to root heavily for Huckabee to pull off an upset in Iowa and take both Romney and Thompson down a notch.