For Democrats, too many good picks; for Republicans, an easier path

In recent days, all of these candidates and more have passed through Ames. But rather than settling their choices, several voters said, the thrill of seeing the candidates up close, of hearing their appeals in person, has only made their decisions more labored.

“There are so many options,” said Julia Zaffarano, a counselor for homeless youths.

Republican voters, by contrast, sounded more decisive.

Some Republicans said they had been watching the recent sniping between Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee, both former governors. But rather than being offended by the negativity, they remained firm in their choices.

“I didn’t appreciate the way Romney was trying to gain back what he feels he’s lost,” said Merrill Henderks, who is retired from farming but still does a bit of truck-driving. He was referring to Romney’s once-substantial lead in Iowa, which Huckabee has erased.

But Rod Place, who is supporting Romney, criticised Huckabee for claiming to have abandoned a negative advertisement about Romney but showing it to the national news media first.

Randi Peters, a friend of Place’s who is a Democrat, added, “Especially for someone who is supposed to be a pastor,” mentioning an earlier advertisement in which Huckabee had emphasised his Christian values.

Lingering after an Edwards rally at Iowa State University, three generations of women from the Zaffarano family wavered between Edwards and Richardson. Suzanne Zaffarano said the event had drawn her to Edwards, because she was touched to see Elizabeth Edwards, his wife, campaigning despite an incurable case of breast cancer.

But Zaffarano’s daughter-in-law and granddaughter said they thought they might—emphasis on the might—caucus first for Richardson, using Edwards as a backup. And they had not quite ruled out the other Democrats either.

“It’s not fair to discount these people,” said Janice Seibel, Zaffarano’s daughter-in-law. “They’re smart and experienced and talented.”

As one way of sorting through the choices, voters wondered aloud and asked at events about the candidates’ vice-presidential and cabinet choices. They seemed to be trying to find ways of somehow voting for more than one candidate at a time.

“If Barack Obama and John Edwards were together on the ticket they would have my vote in a second,” said Cecelia Kemmerer, over lunch. It was only her first day out of the house since neck surgery several weeks ago and she gasped with effort through many of her answers. “But I will be at that caucus if I have to crawl,” she said.

On Wednesday, Ames voters headed back to work after the New Year’s holiday to compare their freshly gathered notes with colleagues. But some voters, especially Democratic ones, said they were waiting until the literal last moment to make a decision.