Straw poll may weed out the field

He spent more than $25,000 for the biggest tent space at the event, a state party fundraiser that could draw as many as 40,000 Iowans, according to Republican leaders. It costs $35 to vote in the straw poll, and Romney is buying thousands of tickets for supporters -- far more than his opponents expect to purchase.

Amid the final preparations, Iowa officials said Friday that they were determined to avoid moving the state's caucuses from January into December. South Carolina upset the election calendar Thursday when Republican leaders there announced they would move up the state's GOP primary to Jan. 19.

That is expected to have a domino effect. If New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary ends up being held early enough in January, Iowa could be compelled to hold its caucuses in December, a fate state leaders pledged Friday to avert.

"In this state, we're going to still have Christmas," said Gov. Chet Culver, a Democrat, at an afternoon news conference. "We have no interest in going in December."

michael.finnegan@latimes.com

Times staff writer Peter Nicholas contributed to this report.