Here Comes Huck!

Mike Huckabee has vaulted into third place in the Republican Iowa caucus race, according to a new poll out by the American Research Group.

IOWA REPUBLICANS

Mitt Romney 27%

Rudy Giuliani 17%

Mike Huckabee 14%

Fred Thompson 13%

A campaign e-mail boasts: "Prior to Ames, this same polling firm had our campaign polling at 1% in Iowa in July, 1% in New Hampshire and 3% in South Carolina. Today: 14% in Iowa, 9% in New Hampshire and 9% in South Carolina," writes National Campaign Manager Chip Saltsman.

We'll be watching Huckabee's numbers closely over the next few weeks after Fred Thompson officially jumps in. Will the former actor take the air out of Huckabee's momentum?

Also notable in this poll: Clinton now leads in Iowa 28%-23% over Obama; Edwards has dropped to third. Back on the Republican side, it's shaping up to be a Rudy versus Romney fight. Romney leads Rudy in both Iowa and New Hampshire, but the former Massachusetts Governor seems to have a South Carolina problem. Is that where Rudy's campaign takes off to February 5th?