Early GOP primary calendar set with N.H. announcement

U.S. state of New Hampshire will hold its first-in-the-nation presidential primary on Jan. 10, New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner announced Wednesday. "It's my honor and privilege to say that the tradition of the New Hampshire primary will live on," Gardner said during a press conference at the state capitol in Concord. The move ended the uncertainty surrounding the GOP primary dates, triggered by South Carolina's decision to move up its primary to January. Under the GOP primary calendar, Iowa will hold its first-in-the- nation caucuses on Jan. 3, followed a week later by New Hampshire. South Carolina will hold its primaries on Jan. 21, and Florida will vote on Jan. 31. Nevada will hold caucuses on Feb. 4. Traditionally, U.S. presidential election's nomination process is kicked off by Iowa, which holds its caucuses early in the year, followed by New Hampshire and South Carolina, which hold primaries. Outcome of these primaries could influence a candidate's momentum in the following contests, therefore candidates unusually devote plenty of time and resources to these early-voting states.