US presidential candidates gearing up for Super Tuesday

February 2, 2008 With less than 72 hours to go until the Super Tuesday primary election event, Republican and Democratic candidates are campaigning all across the United States this weekend in hopes of gaining votes.

Democratic Senator Hilary Clinton is spending Saturday in the state of California, while rival Senator Barack Obama is making stops in Idaho, Minnesota, and Missouri today. However, the Clinton Campaign is also present in Arkansas today where former President, Bill Clinton, is talking about educational reforms.

On the Republican side, Mike Huckabee is in the South trying to win support of fellow Evangelicals for his campaign.

Senator John McCain is in Nashville today before he heads to opponent Mitt Romney's home state of Massachusetts tomorrow.

Also on the election front, on Friday Senators McCain and Obama won the endorsements of the Los Angeles Times, one of the most read newspapers in the US. Obama also received the endorsements of the liberal political action committee at MoveOn.org and California's Service Employees International Union, which represents 650,000 people.

Most of the candidates are raising funds for TV advertising this weekend, including Senator McCain whose ads will air in 20 states this weekend. The Campaign Media Analysis Group estimates that spending on political ads alone could reach an unprecedented $20 million.

Alan Keyes, one of the Republican candidates who has not received media attention over the past few months, shifted his campaign efforts to Texas, where he is this weekend. His campaign is notable because it is made up of largely grassroots efforts.

Super Tuesday is in fact the biggest day of the primary elections for both Republican and Democratic candidates, with elections in 24 states.