01/23/2008
In what is proving to be a long and contentious battle for both parties' presidential nominations, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Arizona Sen. John McCain scored big victories in the contests held Saturday, Jan. 19.
Rebounding from a loss in Michigan, McCain argued that South Carolina, the "first-in-the-South primary," was a must-win for him to remain in the presidential race. He took the lead with 33 percent of the vote, followed by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee with 30 percent. Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson finished a distant third with only 16 percent, a showing that ultimately led him to withdraw from the race for president.
The Democrats, who are not competing in South Carolina until Jan. 26, focused on Nevada's caucuses as a major indicator of their support among Latino and union voters. Despite a long-standing lead in the state for Clinton, many thought Illinois Sen. Barack Obama could pull off an upset given his endorsement by the Culinary Workers Association. However, Clinton ultimately won by scoring 51 percent of the vote, the first time a candidate has secured a majority of votes in a Democratic contest. Obama followed with 45 percent of the vote. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won the Republican caucuses in Nevada with 52 percent, although other candidates had ceded the state given his longstanding solid lead there.
Attention now focuses on the upcoming Democratic primary in South Carolina Jan. 26, where many expect to see Obama's next win, as he has been building a considerable lead in polls in the state. Republicans are now campaigning in Florida, which will hold the first closed primary Jan. 29. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has staked his campaign on a win in Florida, bypassing all of the earlier primaries and focusing all of his attention on the state.
The economy and support for small-business tax relief is expected to be a significant factor in both parties' upcoming elections. Given the contentious battle for each party's nomination, small-business owners can have an even greater impact on selecting a nominee who will fight to protect free enterprise in America. Check NFIB.com/politics for more updates and tools to help drive the small-business vote.
