Republican Senator John McCain and Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton have each won in the latest round of contests to select the major party's candidates for U.S. president.
McCain narrowly beat Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee in a primary election in the southern state of South Carolina. McCain reminded supporters that since 1980 the winner in South Carolina has won the Republican nomination. Huckabee told his supporters it was still very early in the process of choosing a candidate.
Clinton won a caucus of Democratic voters in the western state of Nevada, with 51 percent of the vote, but Illinois Senator Barack Obama closely followed with 45 percent. The contenders from both parties are hoping to build momentum before the critical primaries and caucuses on so-called Super Tuesday - February fifth - when 22 states hold presidential nominating contests.