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US rivals head for crucial poll

New Hampshire hamlet Dixville Notch has already voted US presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain are heading into the key New Hampshire primary buoyed by leads in opinion polls. Senator Obama's main Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, brought an emotional end to campaigning, choking back tears as she called the poll "very personal". In the Republican race, Senator McCain has a lead over main rival Mitt Romney. Candidates are hoping to gain momentum before 20 states hold their elections on 5 February, known as Super Tuesday. 'Neck-and-neck race' Two tiny hamlets, Dixville Notch and Hart's Location, traditionally the first to vote in New Hampshire, opened their polling stations at midnight giving small, early victories to Mr Obama and Mr McCain. Voting in the rest of the state starts from 6am local time (1100GMT) and polls close at 8pm (0100GMT Wednesday) with first results expected shortly afterwards. CURRENT KEY DATES 3 Jan: Iowa caucuses 8 Jan: New Hampshire primary 15 Jan: Michigan primary 19 Jan: Nevada caucuses; South Carolina primary (Rep) 26 Jan: South Carolina primary (Dem) 29 Jan: Florida primary 5 Feb: some 20 states including California, New York, New Jersey Have Your Say Primary and caucus dates Q&A: US primaries After a disappointing second-place showing behind Mr Huckabee in last week's Iowa's caucuses - the opening battle of the primary season - Mr Romney needs a strong showing in New Hampshire to keep his campaign alive. "Right now it's a neck-and-neck race," he told reporters in Stratham, New Hampshire, on Monday. "But with the debate last night and the support I received from that debate I anticipate winning tomorrow." Opinion polls indicate that Mr Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor and Baptist minister, is polling third. Both are threatened by a resurgent Mr McCain who after seeing his campaign nearly derail last summer, has concentrated much of his time and money on New Hampshire. Other Republican candidates have been looking beyond New Hampshire primary to focus on states that go to the polls later. Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani has been focusing on Florida's 29 January contest, hoping to gain momentum going into Super Tuesday. Actor and former Senator Fred Thompson has been campaigning in South Carolina, where Republicans vote on 19 January. Obama's wave Senator Clinton's voice trembled with emotion as she told a group of undecided New Hampshire voters in a coffee shop that politics for her was personal. John McCain has resumed his lead in the polls "It's not easy, and I could not do it if I just didn't passionately believe it was the right thing to do. "I have had so many opportunities from this country, I just don't want us to fall backwards," she said. She has seen her lead in the polls eclipsed by Mr Obama who told cheering supporters in Claremont, New Hampshire, that "you're the wave and I'm riding it". Analysts say New Hampshire's large bloc of independents - about 45% of registered voters - could be key to swinging the primary. Mr Obama, in particular, showed strong appeal at Iowa's caucuses among such voters, who are registered as neither Republican or Democratic. Despite a USA Today/Gallup poll indicating a 13% lead for Mr Obama, Mrs Clinton vowed to "keep going until the end of the process on 5 February " no matter what the result of the New Hampshire vote. While Iowa and New Hampshire - two of the earliest contests - do not necessarily produce a winner from either campaign, they can boost contenders' chances ahead of primaries in larger states. E-mail this to a friend Printable version