SNEAK PEEK: Hail! To the Voters

January 15, 2008— -- 4 days until the Nevada caucuses

Michigan Primary:

POLLS CLOSE: 9:00 PM ET

It's an action packed night of politics with the Republican primary race expected to go down to the wire in Michigan and the Democratic presidential contenders (including for now Dennis Kucinich) debating in Nevada.

(There probably won't be a better night to use that picture-in-picture on your new plasma TV and have multiple Internet windows open on your laptop.)

ABC News' Rick Klein will be live blogging all of the action in Michigan and Nevada (and maybe he will even provide updates on the Michigan State/Ohio State college hoops game for the sports fans out there who cannot tear themselves away from political coverage tonight)

The first two waves of exit polling data are in and ABC News' Gary Langer reports that the preliminary exit poll results in the Michigan Republican primary indicate much less of a turnout among independents there than in the 2000 primary – about a quarter of voters are identifying themselves as independents, compared with 35 percent half in 2000, an extraordinary year for independent turnout in the primary.

So despite many pundits pontificating – the idea that Democrats might cross over and vote in the Republican primary is not panning out.

From ABC News' Langer:

Fewer than one in 10 GOP voters are identifying themselves as Democrats, compared with 17 percent in 2000. Remarkably, in 2000, 52 percent of all voters in the Michigan Republican primary were not Republicans - 35 percent independents and 17 percent Democrats. Forty-eight percent were Republicans. This year, in preliminary exit poll results, two-thirds are Republicans.

(Keep in mind – the Democratic contest in Michigan is meaningless.  Barack Obama and John Edwards are not even on the ballot and have withdrawn their names from the Michigan ballot to honor DNC rules forbidding non-approved states from holding contests before Feb 5.)

Preliminary xit polls show that more than half of voters in the GOP race identify themselves as conservatives, more than it was in 2000 but about what it'd been in earlier, 1996 and 1992 primaries.

ABC News' Langer reports that the top issue by far on voters' minds is the economy. "More than half in the Republican race say it was the single most important issue in their vote, far above the war in Iraq, cited by two in 10. About two-thirds of Republican primary voters, moreover say the national economy's in bad shape. (Voters in the Democratic primary also cite the economy as their top issue, by an equally wide margin.)"

Voters sure are taking their time to make up their minds - Three in 10 in the Republican race they finally decided whom to support in the last four days (including today), well up from 18 percent in 2000. (It was about the same in Iowa; late deciding was higher still in the New Hampshire GOP contest, 39 percent in the four days including Election Day.)Smart folks in Michigan say that when the vote is coming in tonight here are few things to look for:

-- Oakland County. Romney has solid support in the suburbs of Michigan (his donor base was centered there) and if he is pulling in big margins there it could carry him to a state-wide victory

-- Muskegon, Holland, Battle Creek and Kalamazoo – areas McCain can do well in and will be interesting to watch as the results come in tonight.

Based on requests for "upwards of 320,000" absentee ballots, Michigan's Secretary of State expects that approximately 1.5 million of the state's 7.14 million registered voters (21 percent) will participate in today's primary, ABC News' Teddy Davis reports.

Sorry Romney Brothers – ABC News' Tahman Bradley reports that once again, Romney has far outspent his Republican opponents in a primary state, making Michigan the third state out of the three that count so far where he has shelled out the most cash:

According to the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, the candidates spent:

Club for Growth heads south Wednesday and will greet Huckabee in South Carolina with a press conference to expose his liberal record. Club for Growth PAC/Freedom Works hold the event at 2:00 pm ET at the Statehouse in Columbia. Attending the event is Pat Toomey, President of Club for Growth and former Pennsylvania Congressman; Dick Armey, Chairman of FreedomWorks; Tom Schatz, Chairman of Council for Citizens Against Government Waste Political Action Committee; and Donald Devine, Vice-Chairman, American Conservative Union PAC.

On the campaign trail…

JOHN MCCAIN

-- 11:00 am ET: Attends campaign rally with voters, Greenville, SC

-- 12:20 pm ET: Attends town hall meeting with voters, Spartanburg, SC

-- 5:45 pm ET: Attends town hall meeting with voters, Lake Wylie, SC

-- Attends town hall meeting with voters, Rock Hill, SC

JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (campaigning for John McCain)

-- 9:45 am ET: Delivers remarks to voters at event, Charleston, SC

-- 12:45 pm ET: Holds media availability, West Palm Beach, FL

-- 2:15 pm ET: Delivers remarks to voters at event, Boynton Beach, FL

-- 5:00 pm ET: Delivers remarks to Republican Jewish Coalition, Boca Raton, FL

MITT ROMNEY

-- 10:45 am ET: Delivers remarks to voters at event, Bluffton, SC

-- 1:30 pm ET: Delivers remarks to voters at event, Charleston, SC

-- 4:30 pm ET: Delivers remarks to voters at event, Florence, SC

-- 7:30 pm ET: Delivers remarks to voters at event, Columbia, SC

MIKE HUCKABEE

-- 8:30 am ET: Speaks at the South Carolina Renewal Project, Columbia, SC (Closed press)

-- 12:00 pm ET: Attends fundraiser hosted by Jim Anthony and General Charles C. Krulak, Traveler's Rest, SC (Closed Press)

-- 1:30 pm ET: Receives endorsement from Ray Scott, Traveler's Rest, SC

-- 2:30 pm ET: Attends rally with voters, Tigerville, SC

-- 7:30 pm ET: Attends rally with voters, Charleston, SC

RUDY GIULIANI

-- 2:15 pm ET: Delivers remarks at a rally in Panama City, FL

-- 5:30 pm ET: Holds a press conference in Pensacola, FL

-- 7:45 pm ET: Delivers remarks at a rally in Pensacola, FL

FRED THOMPSON

-- 9:00 am ET: Participates in radio town hall event, Laurens, SC

-- 10:50 am ET: Tours downtown Clinton, Clinton, SC

-- 12:30 pm ET: Meets with voters at event, Abbeville, SC

-- 6:30 pm ET: Meets with voters at event, Orangeburg, SC

And as for the Democrats…

HILLARY CLINTON

-- 1:15 pm ET: Attends event about Yucca Mountain, Las Vegas, NV

-- 5:00 pm ET: Hosts roundtable on the economy, Reno, NV

BARACK OBAMA

-- 11:00 am ET: Attends town hall meeting with voters, Henderson, NV

-- 5:30 pm ET: Attends roundtable discussion with voters, Van Nuys, CA

JOHN EDWARDS

-- 3:30 pm ET: Attends town hall meeting with voters, Reno, NV

-- Holds media availability following event, Reno, NV

-- 10:00 pm ET: Attends town hall meeting with voters, Las Vegas, NV

-- Holds media availability following event, Las Vegas, NV

MIKE GRAVEL

-- 5:30 pm ET: Attends Woman's National Democratic Club 2008 Presidential Forum, Washington, DC

At the White House…

PRESIDENT BUSH

-- 12:00 am ET: Breakfast with members of the Saudi royal family, Al Janadriyah Ranch, Egypt (Closed Press)

-- 4:55 am ET: Meets with President of Egypt, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

-- 6:45 am ET: Makes statement on meeting with the President of Egypt, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

-- 1:00 pm ET: Arrives at the White House via Marine One

POLITICAL NEWS STORIES ON ABCNEWS.COM

ABC News' Rick Klein Reports: Live Blogging on Campaign Returns, Democratic Debate LINK

ABC News' Katie Escherich Reports: President Bush in Saudi Arabia LINK

ABC News' Jennifer Parker Reports: Republicans Make Final Pitch in Michigan LINK

ABC News' Kate Snow, Eloise Harper and Sarah Amos Report: Bill Clinton: Move Beyond Race Remarks LINK

ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: The Race Card LINK

ABC News' Gary Langer Reports: Good Eating? LINK

ABC News' David Wright, Andy Fies and Sunlen Miller Report: Obama Still Facing Questions on Electability, Experience and Race LINK

ABC News' David Wright, Andy Fies and Sunlen Miller Report: Obama's VP Pick? A Paper Person LINK

ABC News' Kevin Chupka Reports: Huck Chucks One – And Misses LINK

ABC News' Bret Hovell Reports: McCain Courts Voters… Beyond the Grave? LINK

ABC News' Bret Hovell Reports: McCain's Lucky Charms in Michigan LINK

ABC News' Eloise Harper and Karen Travers Report: The Intersection of Hook-Ups and Hillary Clinton LINK

ABC News' Christine Byun Reports: Thompson Says Biggest S.C. Opponent Is McCain LINK

ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf Reports: Rep. Clyburn Wants Race, Gender in the Back Seat LINK

ABC News' Bret Hovell Reports: Lieberman Asks Dems and Independents to Vote McCain LINK

ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: The Law and Order Candidate LINK

ABC News' Sarah Amos Reports: Hey Bill, How's Your Marriage? LINK

ABC News' John Berman and Ursula Fahy Report: They Love Us, Then They Leave Us LINK

ABC News' Jan Simmonds Reports: Giuliani Pushes for Early Vote in Florida Before Others Arrive LINK

POLITICAL VIDEO ON ABCNEWS.COM

Bill Clinton Defends His MarriageThe former president discusses his marriage while campaigning for his wife. LINK

Bill Clinton Asks Dems to Move Beyond Race Feud During a Nevada campaign stop, Bill Clinton tries to put the race issue to bed. LINK

Hillary and Tyra's Reality TV TimeThe presidential candidate tells Tyra Banks about her performing aspirations. LINK

Do or Die? Mitt Romney is putting it all on the line in the Michigan primary. LINK

Clinton Booed, Obama ExplainsDemocrats search for truce after accusations of racial remarks. LINK

Layoffs and Losses at CitigroupAmerica's largest bank suffers huge losses due to its mortgage investments. LINK

Bush Wants Lower Oil PricesThe president pleads his case with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah. LINK

'The Note' Rewinds the Week's Best MomentsABC News' Senior Political Reporter Rick Klein on the weekly political roundup. LINK