SC GOP chair formally announces Jan. 21 primary date.

Palmetto State Republicans to partner with Fox News and host “First in the South” GOP ’12 debate to precede primary.

AND: NV wants to hold caucus five days after NH, bringing it into conflict with Granite State primary law.

Chair Connelly: “Anybody who wants this prize of being president has to come to south carolina and has to do well.”

Argues compressed calendar hurts candidates: “If the dates are so compressed, they don’t have a lot of time to reload.”