USA: Voters in Indiana and North Carolina cast ballots in latest Democratic showdowns

Record ID: 590861

  • Title: USA: Voters in Indiana and North Carolina cast ballots in latest Democratic showdowns
  • Date: 7th May 2008
  • Summary: (W3) WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES (MAY 06, 2008) (REUTERS) "VOTE HERE" SIGN (SOUNDBITE) (English) SLOANE WHITE, WILMINGTON VOTER, SAYING: "I voted for Hillary Clinton. I voted for experience. I just voted for what I felt like within me. I didn't come out for a colour or anything like that. I just voted for what I felt was the right thing for me." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE LINING UP INSIDE POLLING STATION PEOPLE VOTING
  • Embargoed: 22nd May 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5JI3W6B75YNZQZJ0GDPF7KDN3
  • Story Text: Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton faced crucial tests in their grueling White House fight on Tuesday (May 6) as voters in Indiana and North Carolina began casting ballots in the latest Democratic showdowns.
    The two states, with a combined 187 delegates to the August nominating convention at stake, are the biggest prizes remaining in the tight race to see who will be the party's candidate in the November presidential election. After Tuesday, only six of the state-by-state contests will be left.
    The New York senator and former first lady has cut Barack Obama's advantage in North Carolina to single digits in most polls over the past few weeks. The two run closer in Indiana, where Clinton has a slight edge.
    Both candidates, courting the working- and middle-classes suffering from an ailing economy and high gas prices, spent much of the past few days focusing on Clinton's proposal to lift the federal gasoline tax for the summer.

    "I think people have responded to my message of jobs, jobs, jobs and trying to get the oil companies to pay the gas tax for the summer. So I feel good, but we're going to wait and actually see what the votes turn out tonight," Clinton told reporters at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
    Obama, an Illinois senator, with an almost unassailable lead in pledged delegates who will help select the Democratic nominee to face Republican John McCain in November.
    If Obama wins in both states, it would end Clinton's hopes of overtaking him in either delegates or popular votes won in the battle for the nomination and spark a fresh flood of calls for the New York senator and former first lady to step aside.

    "It's been a good day and I think there's going to be good turnout. People seem very enthusiastic," said Obama, visiting a polling station in Indianapolis. "This is an opportunity for us to bring about the kind of change that will deliver on the promises that are made every four years."
    However, Clinton victories in both states could fuel doubts about Obama's electability and persuade some superdelegates -- party insiders free to back any candidate at the nominating convention -- to move toward her.

    "I voted for Hillary Clinton. I voted for experience. I just voted for what I felt like within me. I didn't come out for a colour or anything like that. I just voted for what I felt was the right thing for me," said Sloane White, voting in Wilmington, North Carolina.
    Neither candidate can win enough delegates to clinch the race before votingon June 3, leaving the decision to the nearly 800 superdelegates.
    A split decision would leave the race largely unchanged heading to the last six contests, in which 217 delegates are at stake.
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