Turnout is steady in the low country and lighter in the upstate.

South Carolina Republican Party officials expect half a million votes will be cast provided the weather isn’t too lousy in the upstate.

Both Mike Huckabee and John McCain SHOULD win South Carolina. The latest American Research Group Poll taken 1/17-1/18 shows:

Huckabee 33% McCain 26% Thompson 21% Romney 9% undecided 4%

This is a huge jump for Huckabee who was in second place two days ago. AND MOST pollsters and state political pros will tell you that about 1 in 5 are undecided. I’ve found undecideds at both Huckabee and McCain events without really even trying. The McCain camp said it was looking at survey data suggesting they were breaking evenly with Huckabee among undecideds. But its tough for pollsters to catch which way undecideds break when it happens on the final day. Though I suspect the gap is not a big as what ARG has pickedup, I think my old pal pollster Dick Bennett may have found on the phone what is visible on the ground, Huckabee has buzz and his supporters have more intensity than McCain.

Huckabee and McCain teams both say it’s close. Huck’s camp is more confident- But McCainiacs say they believe McCain will withstand an acknowledged late Huck surge.

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