Concord – UnionLeader.com has learned that South Carolina Republican Party officials have been telling presidential campaigns today that their primary will be Saturday, Jan. 19. That date has also been reported by TheState.com, the Web site of a South Carolina newspaper.

UnionLeader.com first reported on Tuesday the details of South Carolina GOP chair Katon Dawson’s visit to the state tomorrow to announce his party's primary date.

An earlier story follows:

The chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party plans to announce the date of his state's "first-in-the-South" GOP Presidential primary at -- of all places -- the New Hampshire State House.

South Carolina GOP chairman Katon Dawson will hold a State House press conference tomorrow morning to disclose the date of his state's party-run Republican primary and promote what he views as a key alliance between the South Carolina GOP and "first-in-the-nation" primary state New Hampshire.

Dawson has no control over the date of the South Carolina Democratic primary, currently scheduled by the Democratic National Committee to be held on Jan. 29. That's the same day as the recently moved state-run Democratic and Republican primaries in Florida.

Dawson refuses to share his party's primary date with Florida. He said that since 1980, South Carolinians have accurately picked GOP Presidential nominees and deserve the "first-in-the-South" distinction as much as New Hampshire deserves to be "first-in-the-nation."

"This is prompted by a Presidential process that has gone afoul," Dawson said yesterday. He would not reveal the date. New Hampshire GOP Chairman Fergus Cullen said he did not know, either, but speculated that Dawson will set it for Jan. 22, 2008.

►The State (Columbia, S.C.): Date will be Jan. 19?

That would presumably force New Hampshire's primary to be held no later than Jan. 15 under a state law requiring the primary to be held at least a week before any "similar election."

The Democratic National Committee has set the date of the New Hampshire primary for Jan. 22, but the DNC has no control over when the primary is actually held. Secretary of State William Gardner will set the date of the New Hampshire primary in the fall and be sure that it is held a week before any similar election. It is unclear if he will consider Nevada's new Democratic caucus, set for Saturday, Jan. 19, a similar election.

With Florida and a host of other states crowding the traditional early primary states, Dawson said, "If South Carolina and New Hampshire don't make a stand in this process, then regular, everyday voters won't get anything but 30-second snapshots" of the candidates.

"We are allies," Dawson said. "These are the two historical states in the process." Downplaying the role of Iowa's first caucus, Dawson said, "New Hampshire and South Carolina are the first states that actually count votes."

New Hampshire GOP chairman Cullen said, "This should be viewed as a friendly act, one that respects New Hampshire's role as the first-in-the-nation primary."

Cullen said it was his understanding that "it is being done with notice to (New Hampshire Secretary of State) Bill Gardner if not in collaboration or at least consultation with Bill.

"I think (Dawson) expects the announcement to generate a lot of attention," Cullen said. "He is a thoughtful, if not crafty, strategist. I think he sees it as something of an alliance with New Hampshire, where both states' interests are protected."

Gardner, who acts without regard to the wishes of any political party when he sets the primary date, said yesterday he had not spoken with Dawson and had no further comment.

Tom Rath of Concord, a former Republican National Committee member, said the RNC has recently notified GOP officials in the states that they must submit the dates of their caucuses and primaries by Sept. 4. That may be driving Dawson's timing, Rath said.