to draw upon support from Iowa evangelicals and first-time caucusgoers to pull off a stunning political surprise.

"Tonight we proved that American politics still is in the hands of ordinary folks like you and across this country who believe that it wasn't about who raised the most money but who raised the greatest hopes, dreams and aspirations for our children and their future," Huckabee said. "And tonight I hope we will forever change the way Americans look at their political system and how we elect presidents and elected officials. Tonight, the people of Iowa made a choice, and their choice was clear. Their choice was for a change."

"I don't know too much about Mitt Romney," said first-time voter Mackenzie Stevens, 18. And Barb Wisnieski, a dietitian, said she'd liked Romney at first but changed her mind when she heard he'd once supported abortion.

Now, Wisnieski said, she's for Huckabee. "That's one of the things that kind of swayed me. I'm a little leery about that," she said of Romney's switch to a pro-life position.

Carl Forti, national political director for the Romney campaign, said the candidate needed to win either Iowa or New Hampshire but not both to stay competitive through Feb. 5, so-called "Super-Duper Tuesday," when more than 20 states, including Utah, New York and California will vote, possibly settling the nomination.

McCain congratulated Huckabee on winning Iowa's presidential caucuses, saying it shows that negative campaigns — such as Romney's — are doomed to fail.

Romney spent the final few weeks before Iowa cast the first votes of the 2008 presidential election engaged in an aggressive contest with Huckabee. Huckabee resisted the temptation to respond in kind, instead relying on his wit and humor. McCain said civility is one of the lessons to take from Iowa's results.

"One, you can't buy an election in Iowa," McCain, whose own financial woes have affected his campaign told Associated Press. "And two, negative campaigns don't work. They don't work there, and they don't work here in New Hampshire." McCain stopped short of saying what he thought Romney's stumble in Iowa might mean for McCain's own chances in next Tuesday's New Hampshire primary.

Romney's Mormonism has always been an issue. Even more so, perhaps, after Huckabee's surprising surge in the polls in recent weeks set up a showdown between the minister and Romney, whose beliefs are not considered Christian by some evangelicals.

But the Romney camp did not think its strategy has been flawed.