U.S. presidential candidates are working to gain support in important primary elections on February 5, when 22 of the 50 states cast ballots in what is known as "Super Tuesday".
News reports say Senator Barack Obama will receive an important endorsement later today from Senator Edward Kennedy, brother of the late president and an important liberal figure in the Democratic party.
Obama swept Saturday's Democratic primary in South Carolina with a two-to-one lead ahead of Clinton. Senator John Edwards placed third.
Clinton campaigned Sunday in Tennessee and Florida. Obama was in Georgia and Alabama.
Republican candidates compete in an important race before the February 5 as the state of Florida holds its primary on Tuesday. Polls show Senator John McCain and former Governor Mitt Romney in a tight race ahead of former Governor Mike Huckabee and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
On Sunday, McCain and Romney traded accusations. McCain said Romney last year called for a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Romney denied the charge and demanded an apology. Romney said McCain was trying to shift attention away from the nation's economy.
For Democrats, the significance of the Florida vote is diminished because the national party stripped the state of all its delegates to the nominating convention for holding its primary too early in the year.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
