Clarkson Integrator

Issue date: 1/14/08 Section: News

This year campaigning for the presidency began earlier than ever. The candidates have been moving at a swift pace, long before any official votes were cast. Many states have also moved their primaries and caucuses earlier in a bid to have more influence over the election's final outcome.

Recently, Iowa and New Hampshire held their primaries and caucuses. In Iowa, Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee won the Democratic and Republican vote, respectively. Things were shaken up in New Hampshire with Hillary Clinton and John McCain taking the Democratic and Republican vote, respectively.

The other states will be holding their primaries and caucuses within the next few months. Although the calendar isn't set in stone yet, at least 24 states have settled on February 5, with many people dubbing it "Super Tuesday." This has raised the prospect that the process could be over by then. Key states to watch include South Carolina, Nevada, and Florida.

At this time there are a total of twelve candidates running for a ticket for the presidency. Seven have already dropped out. The current front runners for the Democratic party include Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John Edwards. In the Republican party, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, and John McCain lead.

Some of the key issues in this year's race for the presidency are Iraq, same-sex marriage, abortion, guns, health care, social security, immigration, taxes, and stem cell research. For the most part, the candidates fall among party lines on majority of these issues.

After the primaries and caucuses end, each party will hold a convention where the president and vice president candidates will be formally selected. The Democrats will meet at the end of August in Colorado and the Republicans will meet in Minnesota at the beginning of September.

On Election Day, November 4, 2008, we can decide who will take office on the steps of the Capitol in January 2009.

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