I think he’s concluded he must make a showing in Iowa to do well in SC. With all the buzz going to Huckabee, folks are flocking to the Huckster without thinking.
I’m guessing he also thinks he can pull off a decent showing, claim to be the comeback kid, and get a closer look in SC before leading into Florida.
If he’s in the top 3 leaving Florida, then I think he has a real shot at being the anti-Rudy, which is where most of the votes are.
That is the key question. If Fred has some scientific evidence which strongly suggests it, then Iowa would be the place to be now. But I still have a hunch that he would do better in the long term if he invested his time in South Carolina right now.
For a couple of years, I've been telling my colleagues on FR Arkansas forum that Huckabee was going to run an Iowa strategy, and he would run strong there. So far, that prediction has been accurate.