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Obama wins primaries clean sweep Obama wins primaries clean sweep
(10 minutes later)
Barack Obama has won the Democratic primary polls in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia, according to US media projections and early results.Barack Obama has won the Democratic primary polls in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia, according to US media projections and early results.
The results will be a blow to rival Hillary Clinton, who has now lost a string of contests to Mr Obama. John McCain has won a similar clean sweep in all three Republican contests, beating Mike Huckabee, projections say.
Senator Clinton is looking ahead to primaries in Ohio and Texas on 4 March in the hope of reversing her fortunes. Mr Obama's victories, following on from a series of weekend wins, may give him the lead over Hillary Clinton for the first time in terms of delegate tally.
For the Republicans, front-runner John McCain has beaten Mike Huckabee in all three races, according to projections. Mrs Clinton must now focus her efforts on races in Ohio and Texas on 4 March.
With results counted in three-quarters of Virginia's precincts, Mr McCain led by 48% to Mr Huckabee's 43%. Speaking to cheering supporters at an election night rally in Madison, Wisconsin, Mr Obama welcomed the results.
A victory means he will claim all of the winner-take-all state's 60 delegates, extending his significant lead in terms of the number of delegates who will vote for him at the party's national convention. "The change we seek swept through Chesapeake and over the Potomac. We won the state of Maryland. We won the Commonwealth of Virginia.
I may be skinny, but I'm tough, too - I'm looking forward to mixing it up with John McCain Barack Obama class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7242093.stm">In pictures: Potomac Primary class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7240084.stm">Primary may prove pivotal class="" href="/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/7240873.stm">Elections come to Culpeper But correspondents say Mr McCain still has some work to do to unite his party, amid continuing criticisms from leading party members who have questioned his conservative credentials. "And though we won in Washington DC, this movement won't stop until there's change in Washington DC - and tonight we're on our way."
Mr Huckabee has been under pressure to stand aside for the sake of party unity, but has so far said he has no intention of pulling out. Each Democratic candidate is about halfway to winning the 2,025 delegates needed to secure victory at the party's national convention in August.
Exit polls suggest he won the support of very conservative voters in Virginia by nearly a three to one margin, while Mr McCain was backed by somewhat conservative and moderate Republicans. 'Fired up'
Halfway there At a campaign rally in El Paso, Texas, on Tuesday night, Mrs Clinton gave a forward-looking speech, saying her message would "sweep across Texas in the next three weeks".
In Virginia, Mr Obama was leading by 63% to Mrs Clinton's 36%, with three-quarters of precincts reporting. We are approaching the end of the first half of this election on quite an upswing John McCain class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7242093.stm">In pictures: Potomac Primary class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7240084.stm">Primary may prove pivotal class="" href="/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/7240873.stm">Elections come to Culpeper "I'm tested, I'm ready, let's make it happen," she told supporters.
Baltimore voters give their views ahead of primary elections in MarylandIn pictures
Mrs Clinton's deputy campaign manager, Mike Henry, has reportedly stepped down following the results, in a shake-up coming only a day after her campaign manager was replaced.Mrs Clinton's deputy campaign manager, Mike Henry, has reportedly stepped down following the results, in a shake-up coming only a day after her campaign manager was replaced.
Meanwhile, Mr McCain told a rally in Alexandria, Virginia: "We have come a long way in this campaign, and we have had our ups and downs.
"But as luck, that product of opportunity and industry, would have it we are approaching the end of the first half of this election on quite an upswing."
Borrowing one of Mr Obama's regular campaign slogans, he promised supporters: "I am fired up and ready to go."
With results counted in 95% of Virginia's precincts, Mr McCain led by 50% to Mr Huckabee's 41%.
Mr Huckabee says he is staying in to give Republicans a choice
In the District of Columbia, Mr McCain took 67% of the Republican vote to 17% for Mr Huckabee, with 89% of votes counted. Congressman Ron Paul took 9%.
Mr McCain's victories mean he extends his significant lead in terms of the number of delegates who will vote for him at the party's national convention.
But correspondents say Mr McCain still has some work to do to unite his party, amid continuing criticisms from leading party members who have questioned his conservative credentials.
Mr Huckabee has been under pressure to stand aside for the sake of party unity, but has said he has no intention of pulling out.
Exit polls suggest he won the support of very conservative voters in Virginia by nearly three to one, while Mr McCain was backed by somewhat conservative and moderate Republicans.
Halfway there
In Virginia, Mr Obama was leading by 64% to Mrs Clinton's 36%, with 95% of precincts reporting.

Democrats

Hillary Clinton12 states, 1,180 delegates
Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee
Barack Obama21 states, 1,187 delegates
Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Washington state2,025 delegates needed for nomination. Source AP (includes all kinds of delegates)Q&A: US election delegates

Republicans

Mike Huckabee8 states, 241 delegates
Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Tennessee, West Virginia, Kansas, Louisiana
John McCain15 states, 789 delegates
New Hampshire, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington state
Mitt Romney11 states, 288 delegates
Campaign suspendedAlaska, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Wyoming, Utah1,191 delegates needed for nomination. Source: AP (includes all kinds of delegates)
Virginia has 83 delegates up for grabs, while Maryland offers 70 and Washington DC has 15, to be divided between the two candidates on a proportional basis.
Exit polls conducted for the Associated Press in Virginia suggested Mr Obama had won the support of two-thirds of men and almost six in 10 women.Exit polls conducted for the Associated Press in Virginia suggested Mr Obama had won the support of two-thirds of men and almost six in 10 women.
Nine in 10 black voters in Virginia backed the Illinois senator, according to the exit polls, an even bigger margin than in previous primaries. They made up about three in 10 of the state's voters.Nine in 10 black voters in Virginia backed the Illinois senator, according to the exit polls, an even bigger margin than in previous primaries. They made up about three in 10 of the state's voters.
Exit polls also indicated Mr Obama had made gains with women voters, who have been a core constituency for Mrs Clinton in past contests, and with white men.Exit polls also indicated Mr Obama had made gains with women voters, who have been a core constituency for Mrs Clinton in past contests, and with white men.

Democrats

Hillary Clinton12 states, 1,180 delegates
Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee
Barack Obama21 states, 1,187 delegates
Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Washington state2,025 delegates needed for nomination. Source AP (includes all kinds of delegates)Q&A: US election delegates

Republicans

Mike Huckabee8 states, 241 delegates
Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Tennessee, West Virginia, Kansas, Louisiana
John McCain13 states, 789 delegates
New Hampshire, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Washington state
Mitt Romney11 states, 288 delegates
Campaign suspendedAlaska, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Wyoming, Utah1,191 delegates needed for nomination. Source: AP (includes all kinds of delegates)
Each Democratic candidate is about halfway to winning the 2,025 delegates needed to secure victory at the party's national convention in August.
Virginia has 83 delegates up for grabs, while Maryland offers 70 and Washington DC has 15.
Mr Obama 's victories might put him ahead of Mrs Clinton in the delegate count.
At a campaign rally in El Paso, Texas, on Tuesday night, Mrs Clinton told her supporters that her message would "sweep across Texas in the next three weeks".
"I'm tested, I'm ready, let's make it happen," she said.
Speaking a day earlier, Mr Obama said he was ready for the fight. "I may be skinny, but I'm tough, too. I'm looking forward to mixing it up with John McCain," the newspaper quoted him as saying.
NEXT CONTESTS 19 Feb: Wisconsin (bi-party), Hawaii caucuses (R)2 March: Hawaii caucus (D)4 March: Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont (bi-party) Send us your commentsCastro in spat with McCain
Exit polls indicated that the economy was the top issue for both Democratic and Republican voters in the so-called "Potomac primary", named after the river that runs through the two states and the nation's capital.Exit polls indicated that the economy was the top issue for both Democratic and Republican voters in the so-called "Potomac primary", named after the river that runs through the two states and the nation's capital.
NEXT CONTESTS 19 Feb: Wisconsin (bi-party), Hawaii caucuses (R)2 March: Hawaii caucus (D)4 March: Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont (bi-party) Send us your commentsCastro in spat with McCain
The contests follow Mr Obama's weekend victories in Washington state, Louisiana, Nebraska, Maine and the US Virgin Islands.The contests follow Mr Obama's weekend victories in Washington state, Louisiana, Nebraska, Maine and the US Virgin Islands.
Mrs Clinton was given a potential boost on Tuesday with the endorsement of former astronaut and former Ohio Senator John Glenn.Mrs Clinton was given a potential boost on Tuesday with the endorsement of former astronaut and former Ohio Senator John Glenn.
She and Mr Obama face a long, drawn-out battle after neither was able to deliver a knockout blow in the 22 state contests of Super Tuesday on 5 February.She and Mr Obama face a long, drawn-out battle after neither was able to deliver a knockout blow in the 22 state contests of Super Tuesday on 5 February.