Obama Wins Mississippi Democratic Primary

Barack Obama won the Mississippi Democratic primary Tuesday, FOX News projects, giving him an expected but vital victory as he tries to fracture the momentum Hillary Clinton picked up with her wins one week earlier.

John McCain won on the GOP side, but the Arizona senator has already locked down the nomination and faced no major rivals Tuesday.

Polls consistently showed Obama was favored to win in Mississippi. The state??s sizable black electorate ?? 37 percent of the state??s population, the highest concentration in the nation ?? was poised to give him a big boost, as it has in other southern states like Georgia and South Carolina. Mississippi offers 33 pledged delegates.

FOX News exit polls showed Obama was heavily aided by a groundswell of support from black voters.

Nearly half the voters in Tuesday??s Democratic primary were black, and they went for Obama by a split of 9-to-1. By contrast, 72 percent of white voters went with Clinton, compared to 27 percent went with Obama.

A majority of voters said race was not an issue for them, but of those who did, 60 percent went for Obama.

Polls closed in Mississippi after a day of racially charged comments. Obama??s campaign called on Geraldine Ferraro, a prominent Clinton supporter, to step down from her position on the Clinton finance committee after she told a California newspaper that Obama was being helped politically by his race.

Obama called the comments ??absurd.?

But race wasn??t the only factor in Mississippi. Obama still held the lead among voters casting their decisions on a range of issues. Of those who picked the economy as their top concern, 54 percent went for Obama and 45 percent went for Clinton.

Sixty-seven percent said Obama inspires them the most about the future of their country, and 61 percent said Obama offers the most detailed plan.

??I am grateful to the people of Mississippi for joining the millions of Americans from every corner of the country who have chosen to turn the page on the failed politics of the past and embrace our movement for change,? Obama said in a statement.

Both candidates campaigned in Mississippi. Former Gov. Ray Mabus campaigned with Obama Monday and Tuesday. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., also joined Obama on Tuesday, and said before results came in that the heavily black delta region would go overwhelmingly for the Illinois senator.

Obama won the Wyoming caucuses Saturday, but his campaign was reeling from Clinton??s victories in the Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island primaries March 4. The wins kept her campaign alive and signaled the Democratic race could drag on through the final contests June 3, and potentially to the August convention.

Neither candidate scheduled an election-night rally Tuesday. Clinton campaign manager Maggie Williams issued a statement congratulating Obama after polls closed.

??Now we look forward to campaigning in Pennsylvania and around the country as this campaign continues,? she said.

Both candidates spent their night in Pennsylvania, which is the next big contest on April 22. That followed campaigning in the Keystone State on energy policy.

Mississippi??s primary was the last chance to pick up steam before that race, which offers 156 delegates. That??s the biggest prize left on the primary calendar, and with polls favoring Clinton it poses an opportunity for the New York senator to catch up to Obama in the delegate count.

Obama went into Tuesday??s contest with 1,579 delegates, to 1,473 for Clinton. It takes 2,025 to win the nomination. With Mississippi, 602 pledged delegates were left to be allocated.

Obama picked up at least six delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Mississippi, with 27 more to be awarded. He hoped for a win sizable enough to erase most if not all of Clinton??s 11-delegate gain from last week.

Bill Clinton campaigned in Canonsburg, Pa., telling voters just as he did in Ohio and Texas that it??s up to them to save her candidacy.

??I think she??s got to win a big victory in Pennsylvania,? he said. ??I think if she does, she can be nominated, but it??s up to you.?

In Mississippi, turnout was mixed, with the most people showing up in areas that offered both presidential and congressional primaries. Mississippians were voting on two rare open congressional seats.

In some areas, officials said morning rain may have slowed participation.

Mississippi??s secretary of state predicted a light to moderate turnout. If the prediction of 125,000 to 150,000 participants holds true for the Democratic and Republican primaries, it would only be around 10 percent of registered voters.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Obama Wins Mississippi Democratic Primary - America’s Election HQ



Something bad inside me says that a Dem might become president. So if I had to choose between Obama and Hillary (the lesser of two evils), I'd go for Obama. Because hell, at least he can dance.
rebgirl420 Reviewed by rebgirl420 on . Obama Wins Mississippi Democratic Primary Obama Wins Mississippi Democratic Primary Barack Obama won the Mississippi Democratic primary Tuesday, FOX News projects, giving him an expected but vital victory as he tries to fracture the momentum Hillary Clinton picked up with her wins one week earlier. John McCain won on the GOP side, but the Arizona senator has already locked down the nomination and faced no major rivals Tuesday. Polls consistently showed Obama was favored to win in Mississippi. The state??s sizable black Rating: 5