The opening shot of the 2012 campaign?

The fierce battle between former Republican governors Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney, which dominated the final months of the 2008 Iowa Caucuses, is once again in the headlines, thanks to Huckabee’s latest book.

And with the quest for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination seemingly already under way (another potential candidate, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, visits Iowa Saturday), it appears as though this could be the opening shot of the new campaign.

Huckabee will be in Windsor Heights and Cedar Rapids on Thursday promoting his new book, which according to Politico’s Jonathan Martin aims to “settle a few scores, not the least of which is with his fierce primary rival, Mitt Romney.”

Romney, Huckabee writes, was “anything but conservative until he changed the light bulbs in his chandelier in time to run for president.”

At another point, Huckabee portrays a Romney proposal to encourage more investment in the market as, “Let them eat stocks!”

Romney did not make a congratulatory phone call after Huckabee was victorious in Iowa, which Huckabee writes was “a sign of total disrespect.”

Many thought of Romney as the GOP presidential frontrunner until Huckabee’s surprising Iowa victory upended his candidacy. The two traded barbs in the press throughout the campaign, although since its completion Huckabee has been the one lobbing criticism. At the Republican Party of Iowa’s convention in July, Huckabee told the delegates about a man who thought he recognized Huckabee at an airport.

“I know who you are,” Huckabee said the man told him, “You’re Mitt Romney.”

Huckabee’s response: “Dude, if I were Mitt Romney I wouldn’t be riding in coach right now.”

Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom responded by telling Politico that Huckabee’s book showed that he is more interested in “settling scores than bringing people together” and that he is “consumed with presumed slights.”