Saturday’s big contest.

The Republicans will go to the polls in South Carolina Saturday. So far, in the three big contests they’ve had, the voters in IA, NH, and MI picked different winners. This is unprecedented in modern Republican Party politics. Will South Carolina help clear the chaos or add to it?

Here’s what I’m looking for:

1)    The evangelical turnout. If it’s high, conventional wisdom would say Huckabee might prevail.

2)    The veteran turnout. If it’s high, conventional wisdom would say McCain will likely prevail.

3)    Who’s spending time in SC and who is already looking ahead? Already we know that Guiliani is skipping SC and spending almost all of his time in FL. Will Romney do the same?

4)    Will this be Thompson’s last stand? So far Fred Thompson’s candidacy has been a bust. He has sparked little to no passion with the voters in Iowa, NH, and Michigan. South Carolina should be a natural fit for the former Tennessee Senator. If he doesn’t win or come in a close second, will he drop out?

5)    If Huckabee loses, will this be the end of his campaign? Like Thompson, South Carolina is home turf for the former governor of Arkansas. A loss here, where there is a large evangelical base (his core supporters), would be a huge hit for the legitimacy of his candidacy.

6)    If McCain wins, will he be considered the frontrunner heading into Feb. 5th? In a field this muddled, McCain would be the first candidate to win two contests. Additionally, his win in NH has boosted him to a lead in the national polls and he’s picking up some significant establishment Republican endorsements. All of that coupled with a win in SC could cement his hold on the top spot. Then again, a loss for McCain in SC could severely damage his campaign, stopping his momentum and drying up donations. South Carolina is VERY important for the McCain camp.

That’s my take. On Monday, I’ll take a look at the fallout from the Democratic Caucus in Nevada and the Republican South Carolina Primary.

Have a good weekend.