I do not pay enough attention to the GOP race in Iowa. I have already discussed the DMR Poll's prediction that Independents will make up 40% of Democratic caucus goers, up over 100% from 2004's 19%. But I neglected to notice what the Des Moines Register reports today:

Meanwhile, the Register's poll showed independents at 20 percent of likely GOP caucusgoers, up from 13 percent in late November.

So Independents are also flocking to the Republican caucus in record numbers? Sort of makes all of this baffling. But this is what the DMR Poll is saying. That between the DMR November Poll in November and it's New Year's Eve poll, Independents decided to caucus increase their participation in BOTH caucuses by over 100% in the Dem caucus and by over 50% in the GOP caucus as well. They flocked to both parties.

If this was not the DMR Poll, I would be beyond skeptical of this finding. So are we expecting a record breaking total at the GOP Caucus? Apparently not:

State GOP officials say publicly they hope participation exceeds the 2000 turnout of 86,000, while some campaign strategists are suspecting it will be lower.

But the DMR Poll expects recordbreaking Independent participation in the GOP Caucus. This is all very strange frankly.