Hillary Clinton and rival Barack Obama pushed for votes in the US Northeast today, the day before a coast-to-coast Democratic presidential showdown that is neck-and-neck in opinion polls.
Barack Obama, Democratic US presidential candidate and Illinois senator, speaks during a rally at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, US today.
On a visit to Yale University, Ms Clinton's eyes glistened during an introduction recalling her law school days there - an echo of her emotional display before the New Hampshire primary, credited with helping turn the tide her way to an eventual victory.
"Well I said I wouldn't tear up," the New York senator said. "Already we're not exactly on the path."
Mr Obama, an Illinois senator, campaigned in New Jersey and Connecticut ahead of the "Super Tuesday" voting in 24 states, the biggest single day of voting ever in a US presidential nominating race.
"We cannot wait to bring change to America," he said in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where he was joined by Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy and Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late President John Kennedy.
Georgia will be the first state to close its voting tomorrow, at 7pm (midnight Irish time). California polls close at 11pm (4am Irish time).
Republican candidate John McCain
Republican front-runner John McCain, hoping to score a knockout blow over rival Mitt Romney, invaded the former Massachusetts governor's home turf and told supporters in Boston he could win the state.
"I believe we have every good shot at carrying the state of Massachusetts tomorrow," Mr McCain, an Arizona senator, told hundreds of supporters jammed into historic Faneuil Hall.
Mr Romney stumped in Tennessee and Georgia before dashing to California, the biggest prize, where a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll showed him taking a lead over McCain.
"If I win California that means you're going to have a conservative in the White House," Mr Romney told reporters after eating breakfast with voters at the Pancake Pantry restaurant in Nashville.
The presidential contenders in both parties are aiming on Tuesday for a big share of national convention delegates who choose the nominees. More than half of the total Democratic delegates are up for grabs, and about 40 per cent of the Republican delegates.
Mr Obama and Ms Clinton have waged a bitter battle for the Democratic nomination in November's presidential election, competing for votes from coast to coast after splitting the first four significant contests.
The physical toll of the campaign showed on Ms Clinton, whose voice was hoarse and faint after days of non-stop activity.
A coughing spell also brought tears to her eyes in New Haven and forced her to pause and sip some water at an event where she contrasted her universal health care proposal with Obama's, which she contends could leave up to 15 million uninsured.
"My objective is to get everybody into this system," Ms Clinton said. "I am running for president because I know we can do better than we have."