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Obama takes US poll clean sweep Democratic battle moves to Maine
(about 5 hours later)
Barack Obama has won three more states in the battle for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. Maine Democrats are heading to the polls to vote in caucuses to decide between presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
The Illinois senator won in Louisiana, Nebraska and Washington state and won caucuses in the US Virgin Islands. It follows a weekend of gains by Mr Obama in the battle for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.
He is now almost neck-and-neck with Hillary Clinton. The two face off again in the Maine caucuses later on Sunday. The Illinois senator won in polls Louisiana, Nebraska and Washington state and the US Virgin Islands.
For the Republicans, Mike Huckabee beat frontrunner John McCain in Kansas and Louisiana. Mr McCain was declared the winner in Washington, reports said. For the Republicans, Mike Huckabee beat John McCain in Kansas and Louisiana, but Mr McCain won Washington state.
'Suspicious of McCain' Mr Obama is now almost neck-and-neck with Mrs Clinton.
The BBC's James Coomarasamy, in Washington DC, says Mr Obama's easy victories in the Democratic contests will not be decisive, but they will return him the initiative. With every vote now counting in the race for the White House, the pair both made appearances in Maine on Saturday in an effort to boost support.
Correspondents are predicting a large voter turnout, despite a weather forecast of severe cold and heavy snow.
Votes took place in four states and the US Virgin Islands Obama claims victory
Following the Maine caucus, Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton head into a series of contests on Tuesday: Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.Following the Maine caucus, Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton head into a series of contests on Tuesday: Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.
In a speech to Democrats in Virginia, Mr Obama said the momentum of Saturday's results would be a lasting boost to his campaign. The BBC's James Coomarasamy, in Washington DC, says Mr Obama's easy victories in the Democratic contests on Saturday will not be decisive, but they will return him the initiative.
In a speech to Democrats in Virginia on Saturday, Mr Obama said the momentum of the results would be a lasting boost to his campaign.
"Today the voters from the West Coast to the Gulf coast, to the heart of America, stood up to say 'yes we can'... we won north, we won south, we won in between," he said."Today the voters from the West Coast to the Gulf coast, to the heart of America, stood up to say 'yes we can'... we won north, we won south, we won in between," he said.
As for the Republicans, our correspondent says that Mr Huckabee's victories in Kansas and Louisiana show that there is a socially conservative section of the Republican Party that is very suspicious of John McCain, so Mr McCain has some work to do to unite his party. Huckabee resolute
But Mrs Clinton's campaign says that she expects to take victory at Sunday's contest in Maine and then in Texas and Ohio on 4 March.
NEXT CONTESTS Sunday: Maine (Democratic)Tuesday: Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC (multi-party) Q&A: What's next?In pictures: Voting continuesSend us your commentsNEXT CONTESTS Sunday: Maine (Democratic)Tuesday: Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC (multi-party) Q&A: What's next?In pictures: Voting continuesSend us your comments
As for the Republicans, our correspondent says that Mr Huckabee's victories in Kansas and Louisiana show that there is a socially conservative section of the Republican Party that is very suspicious of John McCain, so Mr McCain has some work to do to unite his party.
Mr Huckabee and third-placed Ron Paul have been coming under pressure to step aside for the sake of party unity.Mr Huckabee and third-placed Ron Paul have been coming under pressure to step aside for the sake of party unity.
Mr Huckabee said on Saturday that he had no intention of pulling out.Mr Huckabee said on Saturday that he had no intention of pulling out.
"Am I quitting? Let's get that settled right now. No, I'm not," he said."Am I quitting? Let's get that settled right now. No, I'm not," he said.
"I majored in miracles, and I still believe in them.""I majored in miracles, and I still believe in them."
Going into Saturday's contests, Mr McCain had a wide lead with 719 delegates, to Mr Huckabee's 198 and Mr Paul's 14.
Mr Romney's suspended campaign still has 298 delegates.
On the Democratic side, Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton are facing the prospect of a long drawn-out battle after neither was able to deliver a knock-out blow in Super Tuesday's 22 state contests.
Fight for fundsFight for funds
In advance of the 9 February contests Mrs Clinton had won 1,055 delegates to Mr Obama's 998 of the 2,025 needed to secure victory at the Democratic party convention in August. Going into the weekend's contests, Mr McCain had a wide lead with 719 delegates, to Mr Huckabee's 198 and Mr Paul's 14.
Mr Romney's suspended campaign still has 298 delegates.
RESULTS SO FAR Democratic Party: Hillary Clinton: 1095 delegates, 13 statesBarack Obama: 1070 delegates, 18 states
Republican Party: John McCain: 719 delegates, 12 statesMike Huckabee: 234 delegates, 7 statesRon Paul: 14 delegates, 0 states		RESULTS SO FAR Democratic Party: Hillary Clinton: 1095 delegates, 13 statesBarack Obama: 1070 delegates, 18 states
Republican Party: John McCain: 719 delegates, 12 statesMike Huckabee: 234 delegates, 7 statesRon Paul: 14 delegates, 0 states
Mr Obama's success in Washington, Louisiana and Nebraska will add to his delegate tally and buoy up his supporters. On the Democratic side, Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton are facing the prospect of a long drawn-out battle after neither was able to deliver a knock-out blow in Super Tuesday's 22 state contests.
But Mrs Clinton's campaign says that she expects to take victory at Sunday's contest in Maine and then in Texas and Ohio on 4 March. In advance of the weekend contests Mrs Clinton had won 1,055 delegates to Mr Obama's 998 of the 2,025 needed to secure victory at the Democratic party convention in August.
As well as fighting for every vote, the candidates are also jostling for funds. The Obama campaign says it has raised $7m (£3.6m) since Tuesday.As well as fighting for every vote, the candidates are also jostling for funds. The Obama campaign says it has raised $7m (£3.6m) since Tuesday.
The Clinton camp is now claiming a similar fund raising bump, gaining $6.4m. They earlier admitted that the former first lady had lent her campaign $5m to paper over what aides called a "temporary cash flow problem".The Clinton camp is now claiming a similar fund raising bump, gaining $6.4m. They earlier admitted that the former first lady had lent her campaign $5m to paper over what aides called a "temporary cash flow problem".