(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-01-10 10:07

Michigan shaped up as a must-win for Romney, 60, the former Massachusetts governor, who spent heavily in Iowa and New Hampshire but finished second in both states. Romney's campaign suspended advertising in South Carolina and Florida to concentrate on Michigan.

"We feel the best strategy for us is to direct all our efforts toward Michigan. That's where the next playing field is," said Romney spokesman Kevin Madden.

New Hampshire's voters refused to follow the lead of Iowa, which last week gave Democrat Obama, 46, and Republican former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, 52, the first big wins of the U.S. presidential race.

Huckabee, a Baptist minister who has risen in part on the support of evangelicals, flew to South Carolina ahead of the state's key Republican showdown on January 19. He said his Southern roots would help there.

"Certainly there's a deep connection I have with people in the South, there's a greater familiarity," Huckabee told reporters aboard his plane.

The typically stoic Clinton conceded that an emotional moment during a pre-election rally on Monday, in which she came close to tears as she discussed her reasons for wanting the presidency, may have helped her.

'MOMENT OF CONNECTION'

"I had this incredible moment of connection with the voters of New Hampshire and they saw it and they heard it," she said on CBS' "Early Show."

Clinton, 60, who finished third in Iowa, faced predictions of doom before New Hampshire. Polls showed her trailing Obama by double-digits, but she pulled out a narrow win.

Obama, the Illinois senator bidding to be the first black president, had hoped a New Hampshire win would solidify his hold on the top spot in the race.

Instead, his campaign turned to Nevada and in particular South Carolina, where more than half of the Democratic primary voters are expected to be black.

"As the gateway to February 5, South Carolina will provide our campaign enormous momentum heading into those 22 states," said campaign manager David Plouffe.

Both Obama and Clinton reported big fundraising numbers in the last three months of 2007, with Clinton bringing in $24 million for the nominating race and Obama $22.4 million. Obama raised $8 million in the first eight days of 2008.

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