As the field of nominees narrows, the campaign trail for the remaining Republican Presidential nominees leads to the Palmetto State.
New Hampshire's Republican Presidential Primary is next Tuesday, but many candidates are planning to skip campaigning in that state and head directly to campaign for South Carolina's "First in the South" Primary on January 21st.
"This campaign is about to become very real for South Carolinians," said Coastal Carolina University Political Professor Holley Tankersley.
Many candidates plan to skip campaigning in New Hampshire because Mitt Romney is expected to win the state by a large margin, she said.
"If you're a candidate who knows you're not going to do well in New Hampshire like a Rick Perry and possibly Rick Santorum...you might come straight here where voters are more conservative. If that's your wing of the party, it makes more sense to put your resources here to maximize your strength coming out of South Carolina."
Horry County GOP Chairman Johnnie Bellamy said the extra attention to the state gives voters the extra opportunity to pick their candidate.
"Someone can seem a little bit stiff on TV, but when you are standing with them and you talk to them over a period of time and they answer your questions, you get to know them," said Bellamy.
But for those already tired of campaigns and candidates, Tankersley said she expects South Carolina to be the beginning of the end for the GOP nomination.
"As long as Romney stays strong, and as long as no one person comes up to challenge him, I think if he makes it to South Carolina and through South Carolina it is likely that this primary is essentially done."
The GOP debate will be held at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center on January 16th with a weekend of events to coincide with the debate.
