US Presidential Contests Focus on Two Southern States

Republicans are focusing on Florida, where their party holds its next primary on January 29.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has campaigned extensively in Florida instead of other states. Many retirees from the New York area live in Florida.

Democrats are looking for a win in South Carolina, where a Democratic primary is to be held Saturday.

Neither party has established a clear frontrunner. The statewide votes to date have produced an assortment of winners.

On Saturday, Republican Senator John McCain, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton each won state contests.

McCain narrowly beat former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee in South Carolina's Republican primary.
In a hard-fought race, Clinton won a caucus of Democratic voters in the western state of Nevada, with 51 percent of the vote, with Illinois Senator Barack Obama following with 45 percent.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney easily won the Nevada Republican contest, finishing nearly 40 percent ahead of his closest rivals.

But although Clinton won more votes in Nevada, Obama won 13 of the state's delegates compared to Clinton's 12 because of his strength in rural areas.

The contenders from both parties are hoping to build momentum before the critical primaries and caucuses on so-called Super Tuesday - February 5 - when 22 states hold presidential nominating contests. - Source: By VOA News