You know things are going badly when the person at the front of the room has to say, "This is not going well." The fireworks at Iowa's Republican State Convention began even before lunchtime Saturday. At one point during the day, the parliamentarian threatened to kick out the next person who tried to speak out of order.

If Saturday's convention is any indication, Mitt Romney may not be in for smooth sailing at this summer's national convention in Florida.

Why the rancor in Iowa? Many longtime party activists say supporters of Texas Rep. Ron Paul are taking over and that tone continued throughout the day. Paul backers will make up all but a handful of Iowa's 28 delegates going to Tampa.

Of the 25 delegates up for a vote at the convention, 21 support Paul. They are unbound, meaning they can vote for whomever they choose at the national convention.

Iowa's Image

Delegate Bethany Gates of Benton County worried that going with Paul could tarnish the image of the party — and the state's first-in-the-nation caucus status.

"So far, we've already had two different candidates that are declared a winner," she said. "If we go to national with a third candidate ... we are going to look ridiculous."

Party officials had come under fire after they initially reported that the former Massachusetts governor had won the caucus in January, but then named former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum the winner after a recount. Paul came in a close third, but his supporters have continued to organize on his behalf.

Saturday's event also included calls for unity from several speakers, among them longtime Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley. He urged the crowd to deliver the swing state to Romney.

MORE

http://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/raucus-iowa-convention-may-signal...