Super Tuesday: Hillary Wins California, New York Primary

Hillary Rodham Clinton captured needed states, including the brass ring of California, even as Barack Obama ate into her traditional base of support on a topsy-turvy night where ballot victories were not the only measure of success.

The grand spectacle of Super Tuesday's coast-to-coast nominating contests marked a turning point in the Democratic presidential contest from euphoric election night victories to painstaking delegate counting. Consider it the beginning of a long hard slog.

The two candidates seesawed their way across the landscape, trading triumph and loss in state after state. Clinton won in the delegate-rich states of New Jersey, Massachusetts and New York, her home state. Obama answered with wins in Georgia, Alabama and his own home state of Illinois.

The biggest prize was California, with 370 delegates. Obama was leading in the state among white voters, but Clinton won by getting overwhelming support from Hispanics and Asians, who together comprised nearly four in 10 California voters.

Altogether, 22 states were in play but neither candidate could emerge with enough delegates to secure the nomination. Clinton led with 173 delegates in early voting Tuesday, while Obama captured 149, though that did not include all the states where outcomes had been declared.

Both were winning in all regions of the country, Obama held an advantage in the Midwest and the central Plains states, and Clinton in the Northeast. The two split the South.

Story contributed by Indiatimes: Read More