Wednesday

Obama Ahead in South Carolina in 2008 Elections

Huckabee scales back in Florida
Meanwhile, as both parties look to the Florida primary, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is scaling back his campaigning there due to a cash shortage, the New York Times reports Wednesday.

Huckabee told reporters he doesn't plan to advertise in the Sunshine State, the Times reported. Top Huckabee consultant Ed Rollins and other staff members have also agreed to work without pay, and his campaign stopped arranging transportation for the traveling media, the Times reported.

Huckabee's pullback may give his rivals a boost. Polls show Sen. John McCain, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and ex-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney locked in a tight race for the nomination in Florida.

On Wednesday, Giuliani appealed to Floridians, who deal regularly with hurricanes, by backing a national catastrophe fund and saying he'd lower insurance rates.

In a nod to his stint as mayor during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Giuliani said in a video on his web site that "only one Republican candidate has proven experience dealing with disaster. Only one will fight for a national catastrophe fund."

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is enjoying a comfortable lead in the newest polls over rival Hillary Clinton as the South Carolina primary draws closer.

Palmetto State Democrats hold their primary on Saturday. In an average of polls compiled by RealClearPolitics, Obama is pulling in 42.8% of voters while New York senator Clinton is getting 30.6%. Former North Carolina senator John Edwards is trailing with 14.2%.

South Carolina will be one of the last dominoes to fall before Florida's Jan. 29 primary and the Feb. 5 "Super Tuesday," when the candidates compete for delegates from 21 states. The Feb. 5 contest could be a make-or-break day for White House hopefuls since it includes big states like California and New York.

In South Carolina, half of all likely Democratic voters are African-American, which may work to Obama's advantage. In exit polls conducted at the Nevada caucuses on Jan. 19, 83% of that state's black voters went with Obama, who is African-American.

1 comment:

voter12 said...

Great video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYnfhFlS6U8 it really gets to the point. Don't let the lines keep you away it's your future. Besides most states because of the expected high voter turn out everyone can vote absentee. You don't even have to leave you house the there is no excuse.