WBAL.com

Maryland’s decision to move its primary up to next week is paying off — Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee visited the University of Maryland in College Park Saturday.

The former Arkansas governor is the second major GOP candidate to visit. Arizona Senator John McCain was in Baltimore County on Thursday.

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Huckabee appeared in a ballroom filled with students and other supporters at the University of Maryland’s student center. Maryland’s Republican presidential primary is Tuesday.

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Two major Democrats are coming through. Illinois Senator Barack Obama is coming to College Park and Baltimore Monday, and New York Senator Hillary Clinton has plans to campaign in Maryland the same day.

Obama’s Baltimore appearance is set for Monday afternoon at the First Mariner Arena.

Clinton’s campaign has announced she will host a town hall meeting in Bowie Sunday night.

Hillary Clinton is also now scheduled to appear at the General Motors Allison Transmission plant in White Marsh on Monday. Her campaign says that the candidate will learn about technology the transmission plant is using to work with hybrid-powered cars and trucks being built now and very soon by GM.

Former President Bill Clinton will campaign for his wife in Maryland Sunday, including two stops in the Baltimore area.

According to a campaign news release, he will appear at the Renaissance Gardens at Charlestown in Catonsville at 1 pm, and the Battle Grove Democratic Club in North Point at 2:30 pm.

The former president will also appear in Upper Marlboro and Silver Spring.

Daughter Chelsea Clinton is also now appearing in Maryland Sunday, first at the University of Maryland College Park and later with a tour of Belvedere Square on the north side of Baltimore around 2:00 pm.

Saturday, Hillary Clinton and Obama have surrogates campaigning for them in the Baltimore area.

Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright spoke for Clinton at the Maryland Muslim Council’s Presidential Forum at the Islamic Society of Baltimore in Westview.

Obama had Mayor Dixon and Actress Alfre Woodard campaign for him in various Baltimore neighborhoods.

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Republicans vying for the GOP nomination in the First Congressional District say they’ll campaign nonstop this weekend to shore up support before Tuesday’s primary.

At least three of the candidates were due in Salisbury Saturday at a GOP dinner for the Wicomico County club. And state senators Andy Harris and E.J. Pipkin say they plan to spend the rest of the weekend phone-banking and attending get-out-the-vote rallies.

The race in the First has changed a bit now that Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has dropped out and thrown his support to Arizona Senator John McCain.

Some of the politicians predict a lower turnout in Republican primaries because of that.

Democrats have a five-man primary race, too, but Queen Anne’s County state’s attorney Frank Kratovil is considered a heavy favorite in that race.