Clinton won Kentucky by an impressive 35 percent margin, but Obama's share of the state's 51 pledged delegates was enough to put him over the threshold.

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate and Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) speaks during a campaign visit at Maysville High School in Maysville, Kentucky, May 19, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Obama is expected to pick up at least 14 delegates in Kentucky, that will give him 1,627 of the 3,253 pledged delegates at stake in all of primaries and caucuses.

    He will also pick up a win in Oregon, giving him the larger share of the state's 52 delegates.

    With 51 percent of the precincts reporting, Obama led Clinton 58 to 42 percent in Oregon.

    Obama's top strategist, David Axelrod, said getting the pledged delegate majority was an "important milestone," but not the end ofthe trail.

    Combined with the support of 305 superdelegates, Obama is approaching the threshold of 2,026 delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination.

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate and US Senator Barack Obama, (D-IL), acknowledges the crowd before he speaks in Billings, Montana May 19, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    The senator from Illinois told supporters in Des Moines, Iowa, that he is "within reach" of the Democratic presidential nomination.

    He made it clear that he thought it was only a matter of time before Clinton quits the race, proclaiming that voters "have put us within reach of the Democratic nomination for president of the United States."

    But Clinton vowed to continue the fight through the last primaries in early June, "even in the face of some pretty tough odds."

    "This is one of the closest races for a party's nominations in modern history," Clinton told supporters in Louisville, Ky.

    "We're winning the popular vote, and I'm more determined than ever to see that every vote is cast and every ballot is counted," she added.

    Although Obama sees victory within his reach, exit polls from Kentucky once again show a deep division among Democrats, which could get him in trouble in the general election.

    Two-thirds of Clinton's supporters there said they would vote Republican or not vote at all rather than for Obama, according to the polls.

    Forty-one percent of Clinton's supporters said they'd cast their vote for Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the Republican candidate, and 23 percent said they would not vote at all.

    Just 33 percent said they would back Obama in the general election, according to the polls.

    But Obama on Tuesday downplayed the idea that his party will have trouble unifying once there is a nominee.

    "Some may see the millions upon millions of votes cast for each of us as evidence that our party is divided, but I see it as proof that we have never been more energized and united in our desire to take this country in a new direction," he said.

Obama, Clinton split wins of Oregon, Kentucky primaries

    WASHINGTON, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Sen. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton split victories in the Oregon and Kentucky Democratic presidential primaries Tuesday night.

    With 40 percent of the precincts reporting, Obama led Clinton 59 to 41 percent in Oregon.

    Earlier, Clinton handily won the primary in Kentucky, leading Obama 65 to 30 percent.

    There are 103 pledged delegates are at stake in Tuesday's primaries.   Full story