Suddenly, Huckabee Is in Romney's Rearview Mirror

His rivals have out-raised him by tens of millions of dollars and have built sophisticated campaign organizations in the early states. This year's campaign calendar -- which packs almost all of the presidential voting into a five-week period -- will hardly give Huckabee a chance to ramp up after a win in Iowa.

Without the funds to lay the kind of groundwork other candidates are laying in South Carolina, the former Arkansas governor is relying on a sort of "viral marketing" there, in which supporters e-mail information about Huckabee to their friends, said Rep. Bob Inglis (S.C.), a supporter. By contrast, Romney is blitzing South Carolina Republicans with expensive mailings that highlight his tough stance on issues such as immigration, and has blanketed the state with television ads.

Huckabee's backers see a strong showing in Iowa as key to his chances in South Carolina and other states. "He's really going to be relying on the media lift that comes from coming close to winning in Iowa and placing in New Hampshire," Inglis said.

But, as in Iowa, the Christian conservatives will determine whether Huckabee will extend his reach into South Carolina.

"The values voters and the Christian voters are the ones he's really resonating with, that are going to be his support down here," said Mike Campbell, Huckabee's state campaign chairman and a son of former governor Carroll Campbell Jr.

Eilperin reported from Summersville, S.C. Staff writer David S. Broder contributed to this report from Derry, N.H.