Clinton and Obama in a Draw after Super Tuesday

U.S. Democratic presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton remained neck and neck after their fierce battle for votes on “Super Tuesday” held on Feb. 5, when 22 states held primaries.

Primary results suggest that Obama and Clinton are facing the prospect of a long drawn-out battle after neither was able to deliver a knock-out blow following Super Tuesday’s big contest.

Democratic voters remain evenly split over their candidates, with Clinton (50.2 percent) narrowly leading Obama (49.8 percent). The final winner for the party’s nomination is unlikely to be declared before the national convention in August.

On the Republican side, Senator John McCain virtually secured the party’s nomination for the White House, especially after his rival Mitt Romney suspended his presidential campaign on Thursday.

The two Democrats face seven contests, including the Louisiana, Nebraska and Washington State caucuses on Saturday, a caucuses in Maine on Sunday, and primaries in Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland on Feb.12. There is also a “mini-Super Tuesday” primary on Mar. 4 which includes Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island.

Primary results show Clinton declaring victory in nine states to include California, New York, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Meanwhile, Obama won 13 states including Illinois, Minnesota, Colorado, Alabama, Connecticut and Utah.

A CNN poll indicates that Clinton currently has won 1,033 delegates while Obama has won 937 delegates. In contrast, an NBC poll suggests Obama beating Clinton, who has 855 delegates, by securing 861 delegates out of the 2,025 needed to clinch the nomination.

triplets@donga.com