Huckabee, Obama wins set stage for Mich.

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If the purpose of Thursday’s Iowa caucus was to make a good first impression, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee became the lives of their parties last week.

Despite Huckabee’s Iowa win, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani are expected to contend in Michigan’s Jan. 15 primary.

With his victory, Sen. Obama, D-Ill., has surged past Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards in many polls leading up to Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary.

But even if Obama captures New Hampshire, he cannot win Michigan’s primary, considering he’s not on the ballot. Clinton is the only Democratic candidate who finished in the top three in Iowa who also is on Michigan’s ballot.

While that means Clinton could conserve spending in Michigan, Bill Ballenger, editor and publisher of Inside Michigan Politics, a Lansing-based political newsletter said Clinton can’t take any risks.

“She hasn’t been here, but after New Hampshire is over — and particularly if she loses it — there will be a question in my mind whether she can afford to skip Michigan,” Ballenger said. “She has to win something.”

Obama, Edwards and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson removed their names from the Michigan race when the state violated Democratic National Committee rules by moving its primary to the earlier date.

Ballenger said if Clinton campaigns in Michigan, Obama and Edwards supporters might show up in greater numbers to vote “uncommitted.”

Steve Ross, chairman of the MSU Students for Barack Obama, said he plans to mark “uncommitted” on his ballot.

“We just want to show that even in this sticky situation we’ve been put in, we have to do our best to support Barack,” Ross said.

“And all the Richardson and Edwards supporters should do the same.”

Each of the Republican candidates will be on the Michigan ballot, but the Republican National Committee has threatened to remove half of Michigan’s 60 delegates from the party’s national convention for moving up the state’s primary date.

Ballenger said he doesn’t expect Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, to repeat his Iowa success.

“The problem is (Huckabee) has no campaign workers here, he’s spent no money here, he has no infrastructure here, he’s made no appearances in the state,” Ballenger said.

If Romney doesn’t finish in the top two Michigan slots, Ballenger said Romney’s run is likely over.

Leo Madarang, chairman of MSU Students for Mitt Romney, said he disagrees with Ballenger.

Madarang said Iowa isn’t a good barometer for Michigan’s political atmosphere.

“I don’t think anything will be decided until the end,” Madarang said.

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