IOWA STUBBORN – AT 10:48 A.M. ET:  It looked as if Iowa was becoming a Democratic state.  But Iowans seem to be saying, "Not so fast, Barack."  From the Des Moines Register:

Republicans increased their lead over Democrats in Iowa voter registrations last month to more than 21,000.

In a press release trumpeting the new figures, released Monday by the Secretary of State’s Office, the Republican Party of Iowa chalked up the figures to dissatisfaction with Democratic policies and priorities.

“More than three years of President Obama’s failed economic policies have led to record unemployment, higher food and gas prices and historic levels of debt,” party Chairman A.J. Spiker said in a statement. “Hard-working Iowans see the problems in the Democratic Party’s policies and see the greater opportunities that the principles of the Republican Party can provide.”

619,452 Iowa voters are now registered Republican, compared to 598,074 Democrats. Both parties, however, are outnumbered by No Party voters, at 655,457.

Once again we see the critical role of independents.

Democrats held a lead in registrations for several years beginning in mid-2006, but fell behind Republicans earlier this spring.

In an e-mailed statement, Iowa Democratic Party spokesman Michael Hunt said additional Republican registrations in June were probably related to the unusually large number of contested GOP races in the June 5 primary election, rather than a new and specific preference for Republican policies over Democratic ones.

COMMENT:  Virtually every sign we see points to an extremely close election.  The good news for Romney is that the states that may switch this year were virtually all Obama states in 2008.  Romney has a shot, if he can exploit it.

July 7, 2012