FACTBOX: South Carolina is testing ground in U.S. election

(Reuters) - South Carolina, the first southern state to hold its primary election, can be pivotal in the U.S. presidential nomination process.

Here are some facts about the state:

* South Carolina's Republican primary is scheduled for January 19 and the Democratic primary will be held on January 26.

* Like Iowa, South Carolina has a high number of evangelical conservatives. Social issues such as abortion and gay marriage are important to many of these so-called values voters. Republicans differ sharply from those in early-voting New Hampshire, who tend to be more socially liberal.

* Among likely South Carolina voters, 66 percent of Republicans and 64 percent of Democrats attend church weekly, according to a Clemson University poll in August.

* On the Republican side, South Carolina has picked the eventual party nominee in every primary contest since 1980.

* The state has seen some nasty political fights. During the 2000 presidential race, Sen. John McCain's advisers accused George W. Bush supporters of conducting a smear campaign that included circulating false rumors that the senator fathered an illegitimate black child. Bush won South Carolina, stopping McCain in his tracks after his victory in New Hampshire.

* For Democrats, South Carolina can test candidates' ability to win among blacks, who make up about half the state's Democratic primary voters.

(Reporting by Caren Bohan, editing by Doina Chiacu)