Monday's campaign stops in Davenport started with Mitt Romney at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, where he focused on President Barack Obama's handling of the economy.
"He said, if I can't get this economy turned around in three years, I'll be looking at a one-term proposition," said Romney. "I'm here to collect."
"I like what he had to say, especially about the economy," said Louis Woodhouse, a voter from Bettendorf. "I think that's where his strength is."
"I'd like to see a better candidate than all of them," said Gary Sack, of Bluegrass. "I'm disappointed in the Republican candidates."
One of the candidates most likely to appeal to independent and democratic voters is Ron Paul, who's currently in second place, just one point behind Romney, in the latest poll projection from Real Clear Politics.
"I agree more with what he has to say than the leaders of the Democratic Party, especially the foreign policy aspect," said Mark Warren, a voter from Muscatine.
The Texas libertarian was introduced at the Best Western in Davenport by his son, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul.
"I am so pleased on the campaign trail in recent months, here in Iowa, that the people have responded to my concern about the intrusion of the federal government into our privacy," said Ron Paul.
One mom in the crowd liked Paul's stance on gay marriage.
"I think that people should choose how they live and if they're not hurting someone else, they should be able to make those choices for themselves," she said.
Only at one point, did Paul overtly attack his republican opponents.
Romney reserved his criticism for the president.