The voting in the large delegate states of Texas and Ohio are still too tight to call. Separately, Rhode Island, where Senator Hillary Clinton had a lead in the day leading to the vote, also is still too close to call. Clinton needs big wins in both Texas and Ohio to prevent super delegates from abandoning her campaign.
[Elections 2008]
Senator Barack Obama won his 12th contest in a row taking the state of Vermont’s election today.
Clinton then won Rhode Island 59% to 40% and estimates show her winning Ohio.
As of 11 PM Eastern Time, Obama and Clinton are knotted up at 49% each in Texas, which remains as tonight’s super prize, with 35% of the precincts reporting.
The areas of dense population in Texas, such as Austin and Houston where Obama is expected to do well, haven’t yet reported.
Exit data show Obama winning 89% of the African American vote to Clinton’s 11%. Obama performed strongly with White voters, gaining 44% to Hillary’s 55%. Hillary’s expected support in the Latino communities translated into 63% to 35%.
Estimates show Obama won Vermont 60% to 38%. John McCain won the Republican primary race against Mike Huckabee in Vermont, Ohio and Texas.
Clinton needs also to win Texas to prevent super delegates from abandoning her campaign. Obama has now won 27 states compared to Clinton’s 11. He leads in the total delegates count 1,386 to Clinton’s 1,276.
Clinton was ahead in the super delegates count by 105 the beginning of February; Obama has shaved that led to only 38 and could overtake Clinton in the next two weeks.
There are 141 delegates at stake in Ohio and 126 in Texas. Unlike in most of the Republican contests, the delegates in Democratic contests are divided proportionately. Clinton mathematically cannot surmount Obama’s lead.
Clinton tonight thanked Ohio and declared, “We’re going all the way.” Ironically, super delegates may abandon her before the week is over.
Two weeks ago, Bill Clinton said the race was over if senator Clinton fails to win both Texas and Ohio.
McCain wrapped up the Republican nomination tonight, which adds pressure on the Democratic Party to designate a candidate that the party can rallying behind as a standardbearer. Super delegates also lean towards whom they think can win the White House; the latest polls show that Obama has a better chance of defeating McCain. Scores of super delegates may declare allegiances tomorrow.
[More News To Come]
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