Special Report: U.S. presidential election 2008 　

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Hillary Clinton waves to supporters at her Ohio primary election night rally in Columbus, Ohio March 4, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    WASHINGTON, March 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton won three of the four primaries Tuesday, pulling her campaign back from a supposed dead end.

    The New York Senator beat Barack Obama in Texas by only 4 percentage points with 76 percent of the precincts counted.

    In Ohio, a "must-win" state for Clinton's campaign, she led Obama by 55 percent to 43 percent, according to the results of 88 percent of the precincts, a much wider lead than indicated by pre-primary polls.

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) speaks at a rally in Dallas, Texas March 1, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    "For everyone here in Ohio and across America who has ever been counted out but refused to be knocked out, for everyone who has stumbled but stood right back up, and for everyone who works hard and never gives up," she told a rally in Ohio.

    Her popularity in the state was buttressed by a large number of blue-collar workers, Catholics, elderly and white women voters, political analysts said.

    According to CNN exit polls, Clinton gained 54 percent of female votes in Ohio while Illinois Senator Obama took a lead among male voters at 52 percent.

    Among voters without college degrees, who account for 63 percent of the total, Clinton was the preferred choice of 55 percent. But Obama prevailed among those who had received higher education.

    Clinton, considered more trustworthy in handling economic affairs, won the support of 52 percent of voters who are worried about their financial situation, a segment that made up 78 percent of the total Democratic voters.

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Hillary Clinton speaks to supporters at her Ohio primary election night rally in Columbus, Ohio March 4, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Rhode Island, demographically similar to Ohio, also proved lucky for Clinton, who defeated Obama by 58 percent to 40 percent there.

    Texas saw a neck-and-neck Democratic presidential race, with Latinos and African American voters playing a key role.

    CNN exit polls showed that Clinton won 67 percent of the Latino vote while Obama garnered 83 percent of the black vote in the state. Latinos make up 34 percent and blacks 19 percent of total Democratic voters in Texas.

    The populous states of Ohio and Texas will offer a proportional combination of 334 delegates to Democratic candidates, which could be the big deciding factor in the choice of the party's presidential nominee.

    Despite a big win Tuesday, Clinton still failed to overtake Obama in the number of delegates. Obama's share has increased sharply as a result of 11 straight victories over the past month.

    "We know this: no matter what happens tonight, we have nearly the same delegate lead as we had this morning, and we are on our way to winning this nomination," Obama told supporters in Texas after winning the Vermont primary at 60 percent, compared with Clinton's 38 percent.

    Political analysts had predicted earlier that victories in Ohio and Texas could stop Clinton's campaign from slipping toward the end, but she was unlikely to restore her lead without winning by a big margin.

    A Democratic candidate needs to garner 2,025 delegates of the total 4,049 to secure the party's presidential candidacy.

Clinton wins Rhode Island primary

    WASHINGTON, March 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton was projected to win the Rhode Island primary on Tuesday, her first victory since Feb. 5.  Full story

Clinton wins Ohio, ties Obama in Texas

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Senator Hillary Clinton speaks during a campaign rally in Westerville, Ohio Mar. 2, 2008.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    WASHINGTON, March 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton was projected to win the Ohio and Rhode Island primaries on Tuesday, pulling her campaign back from the dead end.

    The New York Senator is also maintaining a slight lead over Illinois Senator Barack Obama in Texas by 50 percent to 48 percent as of 49 percent of precincts accounted. Full story

Obama, McCain win Vermont primaries

    WASHINGTON, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and Republican contender John McCain were projected by CNN to win Vermont primaries on Tuesday.

    The U.S. presidential nominee race was resumed as Vermont and the other three states -- Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island -- held primaries and caucuses.  Full story

March 4 races to be Clinton's last stronghold?

    WASHINGTON, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign hinges on the voters who are heading to the polling stations in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont on Tuesday.

    For Republican forerunner John McCain, the March 4 is not a "must-win" but possibly a "final win." With 1,047 delegates at hand, the Arizona Senator sees his time coming to win the party's presidential nominee who needs 1,191 or more delegates of the total 2,380.  Full story

Make or break moment comes for Clinton in Ohio, Texas

    BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhuanet) -- It seems to be a make or break moment for U.S. Demoncratic presential hopeful Hillary Clinton, since she needs to win both states of Ohio and Texas in Tuesday's primaries to continue her White House road, a view shared by many analysts.    Full story

McCain projected to win Republican presidential nomination

    WASHINGTON, March 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Republican presidential candidate John McCain was projected by CNN on Tuesday to win the party's presidential nomination.

    The Arizona Senator has been projected to win Vermont and Ohio, and is expected to take another two primaries on Tuesday in Texas and Rhode Island. Full story