The Hill News

Iowa's Republican governor said he saw a "wide open" race to win the state's caucuses next year, now that former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) isn't running.

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R) urged Republicans to begin their efforts to campaign in the Hawkeye State, encouraging all the candidates for president to visit the state and its 99 counties.

Branstad cited Huckabee's announcement over the weekend that he wouldn't seek the Republican nomination in 2012 as a reason for why other GOP candidates should begin campaigning in Iowa in earnest, following a slow start to the 2012 cycle.

"I would also point out that the frontrunner, Mike Huckabee, made a decision over the weekend which is momentous," Branstad said at his weekly press conference. "Already we've seen a number of candidates who have come to Iowa, and I think we're going to see a deluge of candidates."

Huckabee won the caucuses, a presidential cycle's first nominating ! contests, in 2008. Polls showed that he enjoyed an early advantage in Iowa heading into the 2012 elections, particularly among social conservatives, who are typically influential in Iowa primaries.

Absent him, Branstad said he saw a "wide open" contest where any kind of a Republican -- a social conservative or otherwise -- could win.

"I think we'll look back and this and say this is the most wide open and competitive race we've ever had for the Iowa caucuses," he said.

Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) noted that the Ames straw poll, a key early indicator of caucus-goers' interest in candidates, is set for only 89 days from now, a prompt for candidates to begin ramping up their efforts in the race.

He said he had an "open door" to all the candidates, and said that he's met with half a dozen already.

As for the candidates to benefit from Huckabee's departure from the race, Branstad said that any of the candidate! s could pick up those votes, but he named former House Speaker! Newt Gi ngrich, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.) and former Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.) in particular.