McCain, Romney in tight race as Michigan votes

The hectic schedule reflects the heightened intensity of the wide-open presidential race, as both parties choose candidates for the November election to succeed President George W Bush.

Polls show Romney, a former Massachusetts governor who was raised in Michigan, running neck-and-neck with Arizona Senator John McCain in a state where the ailing economy has moved to the top of the agenda.

A Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released early on Tuesday gave McCain a statistically insignificant 1-point edge, 27 percent to 26 percent, over Romney. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was third with 15 percent.

Romney needs a breakthrough win to keep his White House hopes alive after second-place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire. A McCain win after last week’s New Hampshire victory would thrust him into the front-runner’s role heading into contests in South Carolina and Florida.

Democrats also will hold a primary in Michigan, but a dispute over the date of the vote led the national party to strip the state of its delegates to this summer’s presidential nominating convention.

As a result Obama and Edwards kept their names off the ballot .

In Michigan

Republican race

Polls show Mitt Romney running neck-and-neck with John McCain

Democratic race

Only Hillary Clinton’s name appears among three major contenders

Barack Obama and John Edwards took their names off because Michigan violated national party rules by moving its primary before February 5