By Jason Szep

PORTSMOUTH, New Hampshire (Reuters) - Trounced by a long-shot candidate in Iowa, Republican Mitt Romney put on a brave face on Friday in New Hampshire for the next test of his well-funded White House bid, and said he was ready for a long battle.

Romney looked past his stunning 8-point loss to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and even beyond Tuesday's New Hampshire primary and emphasized that the campaign for the Republican nomination in November's presidential election was a "50 state effort."

"Getting a first place finish in Iowa is not necessary to become the nominee," the former Massachusetts governor said after munching on pancakes with voters at the Golden Egg Diner in the southern New Hampshire city of Portsmouth.

Huckabee, an ordained Baptist minister, rallied support from evangelical Christians to easily beat Romney despite being vastly outspent by the former Massachusetts governor and venture capitalist who would be the first Mormon president.

Just as Huckabee's insurgent campaign threatened Romney in Iowa, a surge by Arizona Sen. John McCain has erased Romney's once-dominant lead in New Hampshire.

Iowa and New Hampshire touch off the state-by-state battles to determine which Republican and Democratic candidates will face off on November 4 to replace George W. Bush as president.

The stakes are high for Romney, who has invested more time and money than his rivals in New Hampshire -- a state where he maintains a summer home and is regarded as something of a local after years of living in neighbouring Massachusetts.

Failure to win one of the first two nominating contests, despite the best organizational strength and deepest pockets of any of the Republican candidates, could fuel serious doubts over his prospects of winning the nomination.