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Q&A: What happens next? Q&A: What happens next?
(1 day later)
class="bodl" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/americas/2008/vote_usa_2008/default.stm">Full Super Tuesday coverage The outcome of super Tuesday left the key contests still undecidedAfter Super Tuesday in the US did not land the knockout blow that had been expected, BBC News asks what happens next.
Who were the main winners?
The biggest winner on the Republican side was Senator John McCain, who won the majority of delegates up for grabs with wins in all the big states.
But former Baptist minister Mike Huckabee put up a surprisingly strong showing in the South to deny Mr McCain an outright victory.
KEY FUTURE PRIMARY CONTESTS Washington: 9 FebruaryVirginia: 12 FebruaryMaryland: 12 FebruaryWisconsin: 19 FebruaryOhio: 4 MarchTexas: 4 MarchPennsylvania: 22 AprilNorth Carolina: 6 May
Among Democrats honours were more evenly shared.
Hillary Clinton can claim a partial victory by winning the big states of New York, California, and New Jersey, and running strongly in the Democratic heartlands.
But Mr Obama won more states, and his surprisingly strong showing in pivotal states like Missouri and Minnesota demonstrated that he might have more appeal to independent voters vital for victory in the presidential election.
And since the Democrats allocate delegates by using the share of the vote, not winner-take-all, the delegate race is more evenly spread.
Where are the next battlegrounds?
Attention will now focus on forthcoming Democratic primary elections in big states such as Maryland and Virginia (12 February), Wisconsin (19 Feb) and especially Texas and Ohio (4 March).
Mr Obama is favoured in Virginia, while Mrs Clinton is expected to do well in Ohio, given its blue-collar electorate.
Texas, the second-largest state, will be the key prize, with its large numbers of both Hispanic and African American voters.
Beyond that, Pennsylvania (22 April) and North Carolina (6 May) are the last big states to decide.
If there is no clear victor, the contest could be decided at the Democratic convention in Denver in August, where the 792 super delegates (party officials and state officeholders) may play a deciding role.
Is anyone expected to drop out?
Neither of the Democrats is likely to give up, with such a close contest ahead.
Mitt Romney has been damaged, but his personal fortune means he has enough money to keep campaigning into the next round.
Mike Huckabee, meanwhile, has put himself in a better bargaining position with Senator McCain, who needs to reach out to evangelical Republicans.
A deal between the two - whereby Mr Huckabee accepts a role in Mr McCain's team - would effectively end the Republican contest.
Will the Democrats be damaged by a long campaign?
Many observers suggest that a long, drawn-out fight for the Democratic nomination could damage their candidate's prospects in the November presidential election.
Despite raising more than $100m each, both candidates are rapidly exhausting their funds in the primary battles across the country.
And the growing bitterness between them may have damaged their standing.
However, the closely-fought primary contest is also mobilising more Democratic voters than ever before to pay close attention to the presidential race.
And most Democrats say they would be happy with either candidate.
Mr McCain, meanwhile, will gain if he can use a lull in the campaigning to bolster his finances, which are lagging far behind his Democratic rivals, and rebuild bridges with the conservative Republican base.