As the Iowa caucuses loom large this week, Howard Dean is feeling some heat on his back in more places than just Iowa.

In Iowa, Dean’s lead has narrowed to just 3 points over Dick Gephardt. Zogby has Dean at 26% and Gephardt at 23%.

Meanwhile, in New Hampshire, Dean’s lead over Wesley Clark has slipped. The American Research Group (via The Command Post) is reporting that Clark has gained 8 points in New Hampshire while Dean has lost 5. This leaves Clark still trailing, but within striking distance in the finals weeks leading up to the primary.

One could assume that if Dean loses to Gephardt in Iowa, there might be a domino effect in places like New Hampshire and South Carolina, where Dean is trying to fend off challengers. The nightmare scenario for the Democrats would include a primary season that does not yield a single candidate with enough delegates to clinch the nomination. That coupled with Dean’s insistence that he might not support another candidate if he doesn’t get the nomination could make for a very interesting couple of months. Could we see Hillary show up at the convention with her operatives to make a power play for the nomination, in an attempt to unify her party?