Brownback's Endorsement Of McCain Helps In Iowa

Sen. Sam Brownback's decision to endorse Sen. John McCain could wind up helping McCain in Iowa more than rivals expect.

## With Brownback's departure from the race, the grassroots infrastructure of the Iowa Christian Alliance was Mike Huckabee's for the taking. But there's no evidence that the ICA -- considered by Republican insiders here to be the best organized interest group -- has coalesced around Huckabee. Brownback could help prevent Huckabee (or Fred Thompson) from earning the group's endorsement.

## Brownback's precinct captains in Western Iowa could become McCain precinct captains

## And Brownback will work the state and stump on McCain's behalf. That's important, because Rudy Giuliani's biggest surrogates in Iowa -- Steve Forbes, who still commands respect here, and Jim Nussle -- are either unavailable to campaign for him or .. in Forbes's case, simply haven't.