SmallGovTimes.com

By: VOA News | Published on 03/12/08    

WASHINGTON D.C. (VOA) - Illinois Senator Barack Obama has won the Democratic Party's presidential primary in (the southern state Mississippi, extending his lead over his rival - New York Senator Hillary Clinton - and setting up next month's crucial primary in the delegate-rich state of Pennsylvania.

Mississippi's 33 delegates are awarded proportionally based on the number of votes the candidates receive. That means both candidates are likely to win delegates, but Obama will win the majority of them. With almost 40 percent of the votes counted in Mississippi, Obama leads Clinton by 12 percentage points.

Obama told cable news network CNN in an interview Tuesday that he expects the Democrats will rally against presumptive Republican nominee Senator John McCain, who Obama said will continue the policies of President Bush.

The next big contest is on April 22 in Pennsylvania, which has 158 delegates at stake. Recent polls show Clinton with an edge in the state.

Obama won last Saturday in the Wyoming caucuses and leads Clinton by about 100 delegates. And although Clinton won last Tuesday's important Texas primary, Obama is leading in the Texas caucuses that were held later that evening, though a final tally has yet to be made public.

In the Republican field, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney said Tuesday he would consider the vice presidency if asked by Senator McCain.

In an interview on a cable news program Romney said he would be honored to run with McCain.

Romney also predicted Senator Obama would win the Democratic Party's nomination.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

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