Ask Iowa voters about their favorite Republican presidential candidate - just one month from the Jan. 3 caucus - and you'll hear many say they haven't made up their minds: Will Herman Cain drop out? Will immigration hurt Newt Gingrich? Can Mitt Romney beat Barack Obama?
Voters may say, anecdotally, that they're waffling. But the polls have Gingrich leading his GOP colleagues by an average of 11.3 percentage points, according to an aggregation by Real Clear Politics.
Republican voters in Iowa told Yahoo! News whom they're supporting and why. Here's a sampling of what they said:
My choice for the Iowa caucus: Rick Santorum, for now: Waukee voter Sarah Bowman first backed Tim Pawlenty. Then he bowed out. At this point in 2008, she already picked her candidate, rallied other voters and even planted a yard sign. Four years, later she's unsure.
"We're one month away from the Iowa caucus," Bowman writes, "and I still don't fully know who I am going to support. And, for me at least, I find it sad. I'm struggling to really get behind anyone [...] If the caucus were today, I would vote for Rick Santorum. But the caucus is still a month away. And a month in the political world can seem like a life time." Read more about her pick here.
Mitt Romney - an Iowan's pick for the presidency: For America to be successful, it needs to exude confidence. No candidate does that better than Mitt Romney, writes Cedar Falls voter Kim Blakesley.
"Following the Republican presidential campaign for 2012 has been an interesting endeavor. My first inclination was to back Herman Cain as the Republican presidential candidate," Blakesley says. "But with the constant developments revolving around his alleged infidelity, I have chosen to ally with Mitt Romney." Read more about her pick here.
Iowa caucus draws closer, yet no clear choice: Carl L. Taylor doesn't want to name names, but the Dubuque voter isn't enthralled with his GOP choices this year.
"Do you vote for the scandal-plagued businessman?" Taylor asks. "How about the career politician that has admitted cheating on at least one wife and is now with his third wife? What about the small-government advocate that would have us withdraw from the rest of the world?" Read more about his pick - or lack of - here.
Voting for Cain and not the media, Republican elite: Do Cain's seeming vague answers on foreign policy issues worry voters? Not Iowa Republican Sherry Tomfeld.
"Is any new president ready for prime time when it comes to foreign affairs?" asks Tomfeld, who lives in Wapello. "A talented CEO and president surrounds himself with experienced people. I have no doubt that a President Cain would have an outstanding group of people helping him on foreign issues." Read more about her pick here.
Below are other thoughts from Iowa Republican voters one month from the caucus. Read more here and here.
"I jumped on the Mitt Romney bandwagon as soon as he announced his candidacy. His strong presence and charisma, coupled with his world and political knowledge, depicts a man that is sincere in his viewpoint as a presidential candidate. Life under the supervision of Romney will bring the economy around and put the United States back on the world map." -- Herman Nichols, farmer, Storm Lake
"Herman Cain was my choice up until the last few days. The revelation that he may have been in an affair with a woman for 13 years has really deflated my opinion of him as a person. Stating he will make a decision on whether he will continue to run for presidential election after he speaks with his wife tells me there is a foundation to the allegation. I'm not sure who I will vote for now." -- Bernie McElroy, factory worker, Waterloo
"Ron Paul has run for president on several occasions. I feel it's time that we give him a chance. He has his head on his shoulders and presents a strong presence." -- Lee Kramer, educator, Cedar Falls
"The former governor of Utah, Jon Huntsman, is my choice for GOP presidential nomination. Although he is not running high in [polls], I feel he has good moral and ethical values along with the knowledge base to be commander-in-chief of the United States government." -- Tillie Heiken, retired, Storm Lake
"I like Herman Cain. I supported him back in the Ames straw poll and still like him to this day. I think it is terrible what the media is saying about him. As soon as he started gaining in the polls, they started attacking him. I plan on supporting Herman Cain at my caucus... I just hope he stays in the race for the next month." -- T. Bolton, grocery manager, Ames
"The only one I know who isn't feeding us a line of dodo is Michelle Bachmann!" -- Terry Waterland, retired, Melcher-Dallas
"I haven't made up my mind. There are still too many people and too many issues for me to sort through. One of those quantities needs to go down before I'll firmly commit. Ask me again after caucuses." -- Julia McGuire, homeschooler and blogger, West Des Moines
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