Rudy Giuliani and John McCain have made the decision to sit out of today’s Iowa Straw Poll leaving Mitt Romney as the presumptive front runner. The big fight today is for second place.

“This is a chance to break out,” says Brownback, a 50-year-old Kansas senator who is an outspoken foe of abortion, embryonic stem-cell research and same-sex marriage. “We can finally start getting the national media.”

Said Huckabee, a 51-year-old Southern Baptist minister and former Arkansas governor, “We want to do well to show that the momentum continues to build.”

Although neither would concede that a poor showing would end their presidential hopes, others say it would be difficult to survive.

“I think there will be sort of a natural realignment after the straw poll,” said veteran Republican strategist Bob Haus, who is not affiliated with any candidate. “One of them will emerge as a clear favorite and start to coalesce this constituency.”

Ironically, Brownback and Huckabee have an opportunity because better-known rivals, Sen. John McCain, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Sen. Fred Thompson, decided not to compete in the straw poll.

Just because you’re not in Iowa doesn’t mean you can vote, at least unofficially. I have a new poll in the right sidebar. Get your vote in now, before the voting ends in Ames.

UPDATE: Brian is not in Ames, but is still covering the straw poll at Iowa Voice