A top Iowa Republican says he’s hearing evidence that Barack Obama’s crossover appeal will play a role in tonight’s caucuses.

“I continue to run into Republicans becoming open about supporting Obama this evening,” said David Oman, a former chief of staff to Iowa’s last two GOP governors, Terry Branstad and Bob Ray.

Oman notes that The Des Moines Register poll picked up some of this and other campaigns dismissed it.

Oman predicts non-Democrat support for Obama will be one of the stories tonight.

“This is real,” Oman told Iowa Independent.