By Sean Mussenden
Media General News Service
Media General News Service
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MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The Republican presidential candidates will meet for a debate here tonight in one of the last face-to-face clashes before Republicans go to the polls in Michigan and South Carolina.
With so much at stake, expect sharper exchanges among Mitt Romney, John McCain and Mike Huckabee than in past debates.
Here are four things South Carolina political scientists say to watch for:
IMMIGRATION
Illegal immigration has been a hot-button issue for South Carolina Republicans over the last two years, far more so than in New Hampshire. For many voters, it's their top concern.
That's bad news for McCain. His less-than-hard line stance has put him at odds with fellow Republicans, who accuse him of favoring amnesty for illegal immigrants, said Bruce Ransom of Clemson University.
"It's going to come up a lot, and McCain is going to have to respond. For Republicans, this is a very important issue," Ransom said.
HI, I'M MIKE
Strong support from evangelical conservatives has pushed Mike Huckabee to the top of the pack in recent state polls.
But because Huckabee has spent more time in places like Iowa than in South Carolina, he still remains something of an unknown quantity here, said Scott Huffman of Winthrop University.
The strong evangelical vote means "Huckabee has a natural base. But he really needs to introduce himself more to South Carolina voters," Huffman said.
Huckabee will likely continue making the case that he is the true conservative in the Republican field, Huffman said.
SOCIAL ISSUES
The importance of evangelical voters in the GOP primary in South Carolina means social issues - like gay marriage and abortion - likely will come up more often here than in New Hampshire, where Republican voters were more attuned to fiscal issues, Huffman said.
That could trip up Romney, who has been tagged as a flip-flopper on social issues by his opponents.
MITT VS. MCCAIN
Four days before the South Carolina Republican primary Jan. 19, Republican voters in Michigan will have their say. The Jan. 15 Michigan primary is shaping up as a battle between McCain and Romney.
"I think we'll see quite a bit of elbow throwing between McCain and Romney," said J. David Woodard of Clemson University.
With so much at stake, expect sharper exchanges among Mitt Romney, John McCain and Mike Huckabee than in past debates.
Here are four things South Carolina political scientists say to watch for:
IMMIGRATION
Illegal immigration has been a hot-button issue for South Carolina Republicans over the last two years, far more so than in New Hampshire. For many voters, it's their top concern.
That's bad news for McCain. His less-than-hard line stance has put him at odds with fellow Republicans, who accuse him of favoring amnesty for illegal immigrants, said Bruce Ransom of Clemson University.
"It's going to come up a lot, and McCain is going to have to respond. For Republicans, this is a very important issue," Ransom said.
HI, I'M MIKE
Strong support from evangelical conservatives has pushed Mike Huckabee to the top of the pack in recent state polls.
But because Huckabee has spent more time in places like Iowa than in South Carolina, he still remains something of an unknown quantity here, said Scott Huffman of Winthrop University.
The strong evangelical vote means "Huckabee has a natural base. But he really needs to introduce himself more to South Carolina voters," Huffman said.
Huckabee will likely continue making the case that he is the true conservative in the Republican field, Huffman said.
SOCIAL ISSUES
The importance of evangelical voters in the GOP primary in South Carolina means social issues - like gay marriage and abortion - likely will come up more often here than in New Hampshire, where Republican voters were more attuned to fiscal issues, Huffman said.
That could trip up Romney, who has been tagged as a flip-flopper on social issues by his opponents.
MITT VS. MCCAIN
Four days before the South Carolina Republican primary Jan. 19, Republican voters in Michigan will have their say. The Jan. 15 Michigan primary is shaping up as a battle between McCain and Romney.
"I think we'll see quite a bit of elbow throwing between McCain and Romney," said J. David Woodard of Clemson University.