Before the caucuses, the Des Moines Register reported that during a poll of 800 likely Democratic caucus goers from December 27 to December 30, 2007, the candidates had the following results:
Barack Obama – 32%
Hillary Clinton – 25%
John Edwards – 24%
Bill Richardson – 6%
Joe Biden – 4%
Christopher Dodd – 2%
Dennis Kucinich – 1%
Mike Gravel – 0%
Not sure/Uncommitted – 6%
The above results have a margin of sampling error of ±3.5 percentage points.

Barack Obama's results in the opinion polls rose from 28% in the Des Moines Register's poll in late November 2007.
This was in part a result of a "dramatic influx of first-time caucusgoers, including a sizable bloc of political independents."
Hillary Rodham Clinton remained at a constant 25%, while John Edwards was almost unchanged when his ratings increased to 24% from 23% in November.
Approximately one-third of likely caucusgoers said that they could have been persuaded to choose a different candidate before the caucuses.

The December results of the Des Moines Register's poll also showed a widened gap between the three-way contest for the lead — Clinton, Edwards, and Obama — and the rest of the Democratic candidates.
No other Democrat received more than 6 percent support of caucusgoers.

Thirty percent of the sample population from the Des Moines Register's poll said that a candidate's ability to bring about change in the United States was the most important to them; 27% said that a candidate who would be most successful in unifying the country would have taken priority in their votes.
Most caucusgoers also said that Obama was strong in both of these areas.
Having the experience and competence to lead was considered the most important aspect of a candidate by 18 percent of the sample population; Hillary Clinton was rated best on this trait.
Only 6 percent of the sample population said that being best able to win the general election was the top priority; Clinton, again, was rated best on this trait.
Before the caucuses, the Des Moines Register reported that during a poll of 800 likely Democratic caucus goers from December 27 to December 30, 2007, the candidates had the following results:
Barack Obama – 32%
Hillary Clinton – 25%
John Edwards – 24%
Bill Richardson – 6%
Joe Biden – 4%
Christopher Dodd – 2%
Dennis Kucinich – 1%
Mike Gravel – 0%
Not sure/Uncommitted – 6%
The above results have a margin of sampling error of ±3.5 percentage points.
Barack Obama's results in the opinion polls rose from 28% in the Des Moines Register's poll in late November 2007. This was in part a result of a "dramatic influx of first-time caucusgoers, including a sizable bloc of political independents." Hillary Rodham Clinton remained at a constant 25%, while John Edwards was almost unchanged when his ratings increased to 24% from 23% in November. Approximately one-third of likely caucusgoers said that they could have been persuaded to choose a different candidate before the caucuses.
The December results of the Des Moines Register's poll also showed a widened gap between the three-way contest for the lead — Clinton, Edwards, and Obama — and the rest of the Democratic candidates. No other Democrat received more than 6 percent support of caucusgoers.
Thirty percent of the sample population from the Des Moines Register's poll said that a candidate's ability to bring about change in the United States was the most important to them; 27% said that a candidate who would be most successful in unifying the country would have taken priority in their votes. Most caucusgoers also said that Obama was strong in both of these areas. Having the experience and competence to lead was considered the most important aspect of a candidate by 18 percent of the sample population; Hillary Clinton was rated best on this trait. Only 6 percent of the sample population said that being best able to win the general election was the top priority; Clinton, again, was rated best on this trait.
2008 United States presidential election in Iowa