PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Clinton will win the Pennsylvania Democratic primary, CNN projects, based on early returns.
With about 50 percent of precincts reporting, she was leading Barack Obama 54-46 percent.
Clinton will pick up a majority of the state's 158 delegates.
Going into Tuesday's contest, Obama led in the delegate count -- 1,648 to 1,504, according to CNN estimates.
He also led in the popular vote and the number of states won so far this primary season. See how the delegate race has played out so far
Clinton's victory will make a dent in Obama's lead, but the size of the dent depends on the margin of victory.
"If she wins Pennsylvania by a hefty margin, she can prove she can win the traditional Democratic constituencies needed to win the election, mostly white working-class voters," said Gloria Borger, a CNN senior political analyst.
Could a double-digit victory make Clinton the comeback kid once again?
"If Clinton wins by more than 10 points, which was her margin in neighboring Ohio and New Jersey, her campaign will have new momentum and she will soldier on," said Bill Schneider, also a CNN senior political analyst. Watch how the polls show Clinton leading »
"If Clinton wins by single digits, we're in a political twilight zone. Nothing changes."
Obama scored big with new Democrats in Pennsylvania, early exit polls showed.
One out of every seven Democratic party voters was not registered as a Democrat at the beginning of the year, and 60 percent of them cast their ballot for Obama, according to the exit polls.
Clinton fared better with voters who made up their mind in the last week, the exit polls showed.
Fifty-eight percent of those voters said they chose the New York senator. That includes voters who made up their mind in the aftermath of last week's heated Democratic debate. See the exit polls
African-American voters in Pennsylvania supported Obama by a substantial margin. According to exit polls, 92 percent cast their vote for the Illinois senator, compared with 8 percent for Clinton.
Clinton got the support of older voters, with 61 percent of those age 65 or older backing her, according to the polls.
She also received more support than Obama among white males, with 55 percent voting for her.
Clinton on Tuesday acknowledged her White House bid was on the line in Pennsylvania. Call races for yourself and see how delegates add up »
"Well, I have to win," Clinton told ABC. "I believe that's my task. And I'm going to do everything I can to win."
Calling Pennsylvania an "uphill climb," Obama declined to predict a victory in the primary, but said his campaign showed he can compete in a big state.
Obama said "we feel good about where we are," but appeared prepared for a victory by Clinton.
"A win is 50 plus one. So, if Sen. Clinton gets over 50 percent, she's won the state and, you know, I don't try to pretend that I enjoy getting 45 percent and that's a moral victory -- we've lost the state," Obama said during a stop in South Philadelphia. Watch what Obama says about the primary »
"What I do believe is that we're coming to the end of this process. We've won twice as many states, we've won the popular vote by fairly substantial margins, we've got a very big lead in pledged delegates and we competed, win or lose," he said. Watch Obama enjoy pancakes in Pittsburgh »
The race has generated high interest in the state.
Pennsylvania Secretary of State Pedro Cortes said he thought the turnout would be a record for a primary, with some counties reporting 50 and 60 percent of voters showing up at the polls.
"Pennsylvanians have seen, in terms of participation, in terms of interest, what feels like a general election -- a presidential general election -- as opposed to a presidential state primary where there's hardly any interest," Cortes said.
About 4 million Democrats were registered to vote in Pennsylvania.
In recent weeks, Clinton has fended off calls to drop out of the race as the increasingly bruising primary fight raised worries from within the party that the daily cycle of charge-and-countercharge could hurt the Democrats' chances in the general election.
Neither candidate is expected to win the 2,025 delegates needed to clinch the nomination by the end of the primary season in June.
The superdelegates -- party leaders and officials -- then could decide the nomination.
Many factors were in Clinton's favor in Pennsylvania. The state has a lot of older, working-class and Catholic voters, all of whom have made up Clinton's base so far. Watch where the crucial voting areas are »
Clinton also has the backing of many of the state's top Democrats, including Gov. Ed Rendell and the mayors of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, the state's two largest cities. Watch how Gov. Rendell and Gov. Richardson view the race »
Obama has the backing of the state's only Democratic senator, Bob Casey Jr.
After Pennsylvania, Indiana and North Carolina hold votes in two weeks as the primary season rolls on toward its end in June.
I voted for her also.. But seeing as Michigan does not count.. My Vote did not.. count one bit.. GRR.. stupid representatives that had to move the voting. anyway.. I'm glad she got it. _________________
"You lied to me."
"I got a jar of dirt!"
"Welcome to the caribbean, love."
I like Colbert's way of putting this - Democralypse now. This conflict is causing a major split in an already torn party. One of them needs to drop before they take this thing all the way to the convention. _________________
Not very so. I'm supportive of Hilary, and if she loses I'm going for McCain. I'm not very happy about Barack and his slip about "bitter Pennsylvanians clinging to guns and religon".
Clinging to religon because your bitter. What?! _________________
A lot of bitter people cling to their religions in the hopes that if they hope hard enough, the bad things that they are bitter about will disappear. _________________
everyone i know is going for hillary... my mom who is like hardcore rep is too. she said there is no way she is letting a white hating racist get into office.
im with her, go hillary. _________________
I may disagree with what you say, but I will fight to the death to defend your right to say it."
everyone i know is going for hillary... my mom who is like hardcore rep is too. she said there is no way she is letting a white hating racist get into office.
im with her, go hillary.
I wouldn't go as far as Obama being a white hating racist. _________________
everyone i know is going for hillary... my mom who is like hardcore rep is too. she said there is no way she is letting a white hating racist get into office.
im with her, go hillary.
I wouldn't go as far as Obama being a white hating racist.
I would. I'm so freaking sick of this us against them sampaign that he is running with black people. He's no Martin Luther King, JR, but that's what he's being built up as. Our generation doesn't even need another Martin Luther King, Jr. _________________
hes half white. why would he hate white people? And most of his voters are white so why would he hate them? makes no sense. Vasaver go tell ur mom to eat a bar of soap. kthx. _________________
I Love Makenzie
They say money cant buy happiness, but it can sure as hell buy everything else.
hes half white. why would he hate white people? And most of his voters are white so why would he hate them? makes no sense. Vasaver go tell ur mom to eat a bar of soap. kthx.
BArack has completely got a black supremavy thing going on. He has state governments apologizing to blacks for oppression of the past and everything. It's annoying. Nothing is owed to anybody in this time. White and blacks are equally oppressed this day in age.
The only reason that Barack has so many white voters is that he words his speeches so that his whole black supremacy theology is candy-coated.
I don't think that people should vote for a presidential candidate based on whether the person is black or white, male or female. The problem is that this race going in just that direction. _________________
Last edited by zengrenouille on May 4, 2008 9:11 pm; edited 1 time in total
hes half white. why would he hate white people? And most of his voters are white so why would he hate them? makes no sense. Vasaver go tell ur mom to eat a bar of soap. kthx.
BArack has completely got a black supremavy thing going on. He has state governments apologizing to blacks for oppression of the past and everything. It's annoying. Nothing is owed to anybody in this time. White and blacks are easily oppressed this day in age.
The only reason that Barack has so many white voters is that he words his speeches so that his whole black supremacy theology is candy-coated.
I don't think that people should vote for a presidential candidate based on whether the person is black or white, male or female. The problem is that this race going in just that direction.
i complete agree with what you said, and when i said the whole racist thing thats what i meant... its candy coated but there. REALLY REALLY THERE. i dont trust him bc has black in him and looks black, but bc of what he says the hints and well... who supports a church like his and not have black supremacy ideas? _________________
I may disagree with what you say, but I will fight to the death to defend your right to say it."
I don't think that people should vote for a presidential candidate based on whether the person is black or white, male or female. The problem is that this race going in just that direction.
I definitely agree with you there.... People say absurd things like, "this country isn't ready for a woman president. (or a black president)" Meanwhile, third world countries have had women and black leaders. It's become less about the issues and more about the physical appearance of the candidates. _________________
^courtesy of Arabella
He's not a racist, he's just playing the race card to appeal to blacks. Clinton appeals to feminists because she's a woman, and Obama appeals to blacks because he's black - it's all BS politics that really doesn't tell you anything about their issues. Forget speeches, debates, slander, or anything else that isn't a direct statement from the candidates about their positions on issues. _________________
Looking at candidates based on their policies and how they will run the country rather than what they ate for breakfast or how well they bowl will result in chaos? Sounds like a valid solution to idiocracy to me. _________________
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