But a December 6 or December 13th primary — two dates Gardner has suggested are acceptable — could make for big problems for Romney.

First, December is less than two months away. And, Romney is way ahead in just about every poll in the state. Candidates not named Romney — or Jon Huntsman, who has staked his entire candidacy on this state — would likely concede the race to the former Massachusetts Governor.

Plus any momentum from an early December primary would soon be drowned out by the sounds of the Holidays.

This would then place the Iowa caucuses as the first “real” political test of the 2012 primary season. And, that’s not something the Romney camp wants to see. The typical Iowa caucus voter — evangelical and socially conservative — isn’t the kind of voter Romney naturally appeals to, which is why the Romney campaign is downplaying expectations that they’ll even put in a full-out effort here.