WASHINGTON, Feb 5: Early results of the Super Tuesday primaries increased uncertainty over the nomination race for the White House, after former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee emerged as the winner in West Virginia’s Republican caucus.

Arizona Senator John McCain, however, remains the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, followed by former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.

But some surveys show Mr Romney gaining ground in the crucial state of California.

Exit polls released by Tuesday afternoon, however, showed Mr McCain enjoying a comfortable lead over three other Republican candidates, Mr Romney and Mr Huckabee and Congressman Ron Paul of Texas.

In a last-minute appeal to voters, Mr McCain used the terrorism card to win them over.

“My job is to convince everybody that . . . I’m the conservative candidate, I’ve got the record, and I can lead this nation in the struggle against radical Islamic extremism,” he said.

In the Democratic camp, New York Senator Hillary Clinton and Illinois Senator Barack Obama were engaged in a tight-race as early results began to trickle in.

Both the Clinton and Obama campaigns say it is unlikely either one will be able to win enough delegates on Super Tuesday to lock up the nomination.

As many as 24 of 50 states went to poll on Tuesday to elect Republican and Democratic candidates for the 2008 presidential elections while eight states have already held their primaries or caucuses.

Normally, Super Tuesday settles the nomination race. But political analysts predict that this year it may take much longer to determine who will represent the two parties on Nov 24, when the presidential election is scheduled.

The states voting on Tuesday include large, populous states such as California and New York, which are rich in delegates needed to secure the nomination.

The voting in California, America’s most populous state, began late because of the three-hour time difference.

Early results show Senator Obama surging ahead despite the wide lead Senator Clinton has long held in California but this could change as the voting continues.