In the 2008 presidential primary race, the past week was highlighted by a high-stakes Republican primary and a contentious Democratic debate. Presidential hopefuls from both parties are now gearing up for the last two contests before the nation's Super Tuesday primaries on Feb. 5.
On Jan. 19 the Republican party held its South Carolina primary, after pushing the contest forward so that GOP candidates can move on to Florida. In South Carolina, whose primary has picked the eventual Republican presidential candidate in every contest since 1980, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., pulled out a close win over former Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., with 33 percent of the vote to Huckabee's 30 percent. Former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., and former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., followed, with 16 and 15 percent of the vote, respectively. Thompson dropped out of the race shortly after his finish.
Romney took the Nevada contest with 51 percent of the vote. Nevada's primary has fewer delegates and traditionally carries less importance in the national race than South Carolina.
On the Democratic side, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., took the win in Nevada with 51 percent of the vote, followed by Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., who received 46 percent. Former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., received just four percent of the vote.
Monday night's South Carolina debate between Clinton, Obama and Edwards was the most combative of the Democratic campaign thus far. Throughout the night, Obama and Clinton traded charges of dishonesty and dirty politicking, as Clinton accused Obama of refusing to take responsibility for his senate votes and Obama criticized former President Bill Clinton's aggressive new role in his wife's campaign. Edwards had to fight to be heard over his feuding rivals, though he also took a shot at Obama's voting record.
Next week marks the last primaries for both parties before 24 states hold their primaries on Super Tuesday. The Democratic party will hold its primary in South Carolina on Jan. 26 and Florida will hold its Republican primary on Jan. 29. The Democratic National Committee stripped Florida of its delegates to the national convention after the state moved its primary without permission.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, R-N.Y., has staked his entire campaign on the Florida primary, in hopes that a win there could give him the momentum to compete on Super Tuesday. Recent polls put McCain and Romney in a tight race for first in Florida, with Giuliani trailing by about five points. A third place finish in Florida would likely destroy Giuliani's shot at the GOP nomination.
In South Carolina, polls give Obama a comfortable double-digit lead over Clinton. Edwards has averaged five to 10 points behind Clinton.
