With the US in the throes of Super Tuesday, Washington was grappling with a different issue.
President Barack Obama has met top Senate leaders at the White House in an attempt to unite Republicans and Democrats over the next Supreme Court nomination.
But after a 40-minute meeting, there was still no sign of progress.
A position opened up when Republican justice Antonin Scalia died last month. However, conservative members of the Senate have refused to accept any nomination made by Obama, a Democrat. They say the vacancy should be filled by the next president.
As things stand, the nine-judge panel consists of four Republicans and four Democrats, meaning the next Supreme Court appointee will change the balance of power.
