But as states compete for influence in the nominating contest, the race to decide early threatens to cram into a few feverish weeks what once was a five-month season of state tests to decide the nominees.

Republicans from South Carolina, which prides itself on being the "first in the South" presidential nominating contest, were due to name the date for their primary election on Thursday, a party source said.

Already, the 2008 campaigns were struggling to cope with a schedule turned on its head, after large states like Florida and California ditched traditional dates later in the year to get more of a say in choosing candidates.

Several reports said Wednesday that South Carolina Republican chairman Katon Dawson would choose to pre-empt Florida's primary -- which has already been moved forward to January 29 -- but did not reveal what date he would choose.

Katon was due to announce his decision in New Hampshire, which by state law has to schedule the first primary nominating contest.

His move, seen as a show of support for New Hampshire's season-opening status, is likely to prompt the key northeastern state to move its own fabled primary contest forward from its expected date of January 22.

"Katon Dawson respects the first in the nation primary status of New Hampshire," said Rob Godfrey, communications director of the South Carolina Republican Party.

"Since 1980, South Carolina has been the first in the South," he said, hinting the state would move ahead of Florida, but declining to pre-empt Thursday's announcement.

In the confusing game of electoral consequences, that could in turn prompt midwestern Iowa, to shift its caucuses forward from January 14, as it by law is bound to hold the first presidential contest.

Iowa officials would then have to consider whether to infuriate voters and campaigns by holding the caucuses around the New Year period, or bring them back to December this year in what would be an unprecedented move.

The changed primary and caucus election calendar has changed the face of US election campaigns, meaning candidates have to campaign simultaneously in many states, for months ahead of the contest.

That means that once, where a candidate could grow slowly through the process, he or she must now make an immediate impression, raising the need for millions of dollars in campaign funding up front.

Some observers believe that such a system will benefit "rock star" candidates like Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, though no one is sure how the new electoral equation will pan out.

California, the most populous US state, moved its election day up by four months, from June to February 5, the same date as New York, another so-called super state.

For the 2008 contest, as many as 20 states now want to hold their primaries on Tuesday, February 5 -- a "tsunami Tuesday" at the polls which could decide the race much earlier than before.

Supporters of the refashioned system say that instead of an election's fate being decided by largely white, rural states like New Hampshire and Iowa, more populous states, with more minority Hispanic and black voters will have a say.

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