UNITED STATES 8 January 2008 New Hampshire holds second of key nominating events in run up to US presidential vote

The primary in the eastern state of New Hampshire is the second event in a compressed primary schedule that starts on Jan 3 in Iowa. It peaks on Feb 5, when more than 20 states hold primaries or caucuses. The Democratic and Republican presidential candidates who win in Iowa will hit New Hampshire with momentum. For some candidates, it could be the end of the dream of being president of the United States.

On the Democratic side, there is a three-way fight in Iowa among Senator Hillary Clinton of New York, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois and former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani leads the Republican field in national public opinion polls, but he is being hard pressed by former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.

For some candidates, New Hampshire will be the turning point. Arizona senator and Republican candidate John McCain, for one, is expected to drop out if the New Hampshire results don't leave him feeling hopeful. He is focusing on highly charged issues such as immigration, Iraq, torture and global warming, pinning his hopes on his message of candor, common sense and civility that helped him run a strong race for the nomination in 2000. Former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee is another Republican whose race, regarded as disappointing by many of his supporters, could run out of steam in New Hampshire. A well known actor as well as a politician, Thompson was seen as a new Ronald Reagan for a host of Republicans nostalgic for the late Hollywood actor and later US president. 12/07