Next Stop: South Carolina and Nevada

The contest now moves west and south with Michigan holding its primary on January 15 and Nevada its caucus on January 19, followed by South Carolina.

South Carolina is splitting its primary, with Democrats going to the polls on January 19 and Republicans on January 26.
Campaign strategists in both parties recognize the increasing importance of the west, both for the primaries and for the presidential election in November.

They often argue that old election assumptions, in which places like Ohio were seen as decisive swing states, are now out of date and that the key votes in November election will be in the west.

In Nevada, a fast-growing state that has been particularly hard hit by the crisis in sub-prime mortgages, Democrats are expected to campaign hard on issues such as jobs and the economy. The three front runners also have been working to tie up union support.

Although overshadowed by the contest in South Carolina, Nevada is not entirely off the Republican radar. Mitt Romney has hired staff in the state, as has Ron Paul, who hopes to find some resonance for his libertarian message.

South Carolina promises a real shift in issues for the Republicans: from the war on Iraq and security to the other contentious issue on the national agenda, illegal immigration. The state has experienced a 47% rise in its Latino population since 2000, although there are no figures on how many of the newcomers are illegal.

The state is one of the most conservative in the US, which translates into concern in the Republican race for issues such as abortion and gay rights. Christian evangelicals are strong in South Carolina, as they were in Iowa, which could make it difficult for John McCain and help his rival, the Baptist preacher, Mike Huckabee.