Countdown to the Iowa caucuses

NORTH LIBERTY, IA (KTRK) -- Hillary Clinton knows she's in a tough fight.

"Everyone who is going to be working between now and Monday night please raise your hand so I can thank all of you for everything you've already done," Clinton told a crowd in Des Moines, Iowa Friday morning. "If you will go to the caucus for me on Monday, if you stand up for me Monday, I promise you I will stand up, and fight for you as hard as I can for the next four years. "

The former first lady, U.S. Senator from New York, and Secretary of State didn't win Iowa eight years ago when she ran for president. She faces a challenge from Senator Bernie Sanders this year. She has back to back to back events across the state this weekend.

On the other side of the aisle, is Donald Trump, who also has multiple Iowa stops over the next couple of days. His veterans event on Thursday night drew more than 700 people, while the candidates hoping to eat into his projected share of the votes were debating one another across town in Des Moines.

Texas Senator, and native Houstonian, Ted Cruz was center stage instead of Trump. His campaign manager told Eyewitness News it was a big opportunity headed into the these final hours.

"Our campaign is at full velocity," said Jeff Roe. "We have literally thousands of caucus goers and volunteers that are going to their neighbors doors, calling them on the phone, having conversations with them about the future of the Republican Party, and Mr. Cruz, and his candidacy."

All the candidates are working to the final minutes.

With time running out, you can almost sense the anxiety and even the frustration of the two men who last won the Iowa caucuses, but are not, at this point, a factor in the race.

Both of them were in the undercard debate Thursday night.

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee won in 2008.

"I think Iowa voters typically break late," Huckabee told Eyewitness News reporter Tom Abrahams. "I still believe we're gonna see a very big surprise come Monday night in the caucus when these folks actually go vote," said Huckabee.

Former Pennsylvania Senator, Rick Santorum won four years ago in a surprise victory. This time, however, he said the media has prevented him from getting a fair shake.

"Sort of an outrage for the people of Iowa, that you have a media that tries to predetermine the race before the people of Iowa vote," said Santorum.

Santorum's beef with Fox News and the media certainly is overshadowed here by Donald Trump's. Trump's protest event Thursday night drew some of the attention away from the debate that he boycotted, but provided an opportunity for others to state their cases to voters-hoping to win this challenging state for the first time.