The lesson from Iowa? Conservative Republicans and like-minded independents in New Hampshire and elsewhere had better rally around their one strongest candidate or face the very real prospect of having Barack Obama walk all over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Romney, having vastly outspent his rivals, managed to win six fewer votes in Iowa this time than he did four years ago. He was virtually tied by Rick Santorum and Ron Paul, gained less than a quarter of the vote, and yet declared “victory.”

The last squishy-moderate Republican to come to New Hampshire claiming to have the “Big Mo” (for momentum) from Iowa was George H.W. Bush. He and his “mainstream” supporters made fun of Ronald Reagan as too old and too conservative.

Reagan beat Bush. But he might have lost had New Hampshire conservatives not coalesced around him instead of splitting their support among several candidates.

This time, they need to get behind former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Be sure to read today's opinion piece by Weekly Standard writer Jeffrey H. Anderson, who outlines how and why it is Gingrich, not Romney, who can beat Obama.

Voters may find other candidates personally appealing, but Gingrich's record of conservative accomplishment is unparalleled and his beliefs and vision are passionate and clear. Romney, meanwhile, was governor of the most liberal state in the country and managed to beat Obama at delivering Obamacare.

So forget the ton of negative advertising and nastiness that will play against Gingrich. Instead, listen, read, and watch the candidates here. New Hampshire voters have a great opportunity to set the course of history, just as they did with Ronald Reagan.