US Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, who lost to Senator Barack Obama in the crucial primary held in North Carolina on Tuesday, has managed to secure a narrow win over her rival in the Indiana. The two results will step up pressure on the New York senator to reconsider her candidacy for the Democratic nomination to the white House.
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"Not too long ago, my opponent made a prediction. He said I would probably win Pennsylvania, he would win North Carolina, and Indiana would be the tiebreaker. Well, tonight we've come from behind, we've broken the tie, and, thanks to you, it's full speed onto the White House," an unfazed Clinton told her supporters during the low-key victory celebrations.
Holding on to a barely three percentage lead over the front runner Barack Obama, the New York Democrat said that she is looking forward to the remaining contests, especially in the states of West Virginia, Kentucky and Oregon before the democrats bring down the curtains on June 3 in what has been a long and divisive battle for the nomination.
"And we know how desperately people want to see a change, and it will not be a change if the Republicans keep the White House. It will be more of the same, something that no one, no matter what political party you may be, can afford," Clinton said.
In North Carolina, Obama won 56 per cent of the vote to 42 per cent for Clinton. Obama won at least 69 delegates on Tuesday, according to an Associated Press count. Clinton won at least 63 delegates, with 55 still to be awarded.
Overall, Obama leads with 1,815.5 delegates to 1,672 for Clinton while the magic figure to grab the nomination at the party convention in Denver in August is 2,025.
With her loss in North Carolina, Clinton has little hope of narrowing the gap and almost no chance of winning enough elected delegates to overtake Obama.
But a defiant Clinton, 60, who is bidding to be the first woman president of the United States, said: "I am going to work my heart out in West Virginia and Kentucky this month, and I intend to win them in November in the general election."
Obama, who is hoping to be the first African-American president of the country, surprised the political establishment by winning 11 consecutive contests in February and seemed unstoppable until Clinton, who was once the favourite, bounced back with wins in major primaries in March and April, including Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania.
Obama's win in North Carolina is his 32st victory of the campaign while Clinton has won 17 contests if Indiana is included.
Images: Senator Hillary Clinton speaks at her primary night event at the Murat Centre. Also seen in the photograph are Hillary's husband and former US President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea.
Reportage: PTI | Photograph: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
