Republicans contest Michigan primary, Democrats boycott (Roundup)

Jan 15, 2008, 16:54 GMT

US Republican presidential candidate former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney campaigns at an office furniture store warehouse in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, 15 January 2008. The Michigan primary is held on 15 January. EPA/KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI

Washington - Polls opened in the Midwestern US state of Michigan Tuesday for the latest presidential primary that sees Republican candidates battling for their party's nomination, while leading Democrats boycotted the state after it flouted party leaders by moving its contest forward.

Republican candidate and Michigan native Mitt Romney is seeking to jump-start his bid for the party's nomination after placing second in previous primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Romney, a wealthy businessman and former Massachusetts governor, came in a disappointing second in both states behind Baptist preacher and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and Arizona Senator John McCain respectively, despite investing millions of dollars in those races.

Polls showed Romney and McCain in a close race for Michigan, with Huckabee lying third.

The Detroit Free Press described turnout at several area polling places as slow, but steady during morning voting as snow fell in the state accustomed to winter weather.

Romney grew up in Michigan, where his father George Romney led the now-defunct American Motors Corp and served as governor in the late 1960s. He hopes to translate his home field advantage into a win that would further shake up the unsettled Republican field.

In campaign stops Monday, he stressed his business credentials and said he would work to turn around the state's economy, hit hard by the downturn in the US auto industry.

Leading Democratic contenders have shunned Michigan altogether after the state moved its primary forward in the schedule of state- by-state nominating contests in a bid to exert more influence over the choice of nominee.

The Democratic National Committee stripped the state of all its delegates to its August convention, where the party's candidate will be officially named ahead of November 4 general elections.

The top Democrats have not campaigned in Michigan and will instead focus on a debate in Las Vegas Tuesday ahead of the Nevada caucus on Saturday.

Still the state's Democrats had a ballot on Tuesday, albeit one that was missing the names of most major candidates. Hillary Clinton's name appeared, but rivals Barack Obama and John Edwards were not included. State leaders urged supporters of those candidates to check 'uncommitted' in hopes that Michigan could have its delegates restored before the convention.

Jason Pelty, a Democratic voter, told the Detroit Free Press he was upset about not having a full choice among his party's contenders.

'As a Democrat, I am torn between the first woman president or the first black president,' the newspaper's online edition quoted him as saying. 'The fact that there isn't even a fair chance for Obama upsets me. I am a dedicated Democrat.'

The Republican National Committee stripped Michigan of just half its delegates to its convention in September.

McCain, a vocal supporter of the Iraq war, came back to win last week's contest in New Hampshire and national polls now show the 71- year-old leading the field after his campaign had been declared dead by analysts over the summer. He won the Michigan primary in 2000, beating George W Bush, who went on to win the nomination and the presidency.

Nationwide polls also show Clinton ahead of Obama for the Democrat candidacy, but with a significantly reduced lead.