Romney/McCain snapping up the talent in Iowa

The Washington Post blog "The Fix" has makes note of Gov. Romney's organizational advances.

The only other candidate with such breadth of political experience in the Hawkeye State is Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R), who announced a 50-person Iowa advisory committee in June. Romney's lead strategist in Iowa is Doug Gross, the party's 2002 gubernatorial nominee and a former aide to Branstad as well as former Gov. Robert Ray.

Remember that the major fight right now among aspiring presidential candidates is for staff talent -- specifically in key early states like Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. The more talent McCain and Romney are able to scoop up before the midterm elections, the more difficult it will be for any other Republican candidate to seriously compete with the two frontrunners in Iowa and beyond.

Remember, there was good reason Sen. McCain ran away from Iowa last time out.