Clinton's win keeps her in the running

Hillary Clinton’s White House hopes were kept alive for a while longer at least when she defeated Barack Obama by 10 points in Pennsylvania’s crucial primary today.

Although it stamped out speculation that she would exit the increasingly divisive Democratic presidential race, the victory did little to narrow her deficit in the all-important delegate count.

Mrs Clinton overcame massive spending by Mr Obama, who had significantly cut her early overwhelming advantage in the state. But after a rugged and caustic six-week campaign, voting blocs who favoured Mrs Clinton – older, working-class, less educated Pennsylvanians – stood fast behind her.

Mrs Clinton said today that her coalition “is the best to win against John McCain.”

She told the NBC’s Today programme she had already raised 3 million dollars for her heavily indebted campaign with an internet appeal launched after her Pennsylvania win.

When challenged on voter assessments – even among her supporters – that she ran a negative campaign, Mrs Clinton said: “This is a very civil campaign by any objective standard.”

“That’s just the way campaigns are run,” she said.

Nevertheless, Mr Obama leaves the hard-fought contest behind with his lead in pledged delegates and the popular vote intact, as both candidates move on to the primary campaigns in the states of Indiana and North Carolina.

Some Democratic leaders were looking for a closer Pennsylvania outcome that could have led Mrs Clinton to leave the race, allowing the party five months to unite behind Mr Obama before the November general election.

John McCain, who wrapped up the Republican nomination weeks ago, has pulled even with both Democrats as their struggle to lead the ticket has grown increasingly bitter.

Mrs Clinton left no doubt today that she would not drop out of the race before all primary and caucus contests were finished.

“We’re going to go through the next nine contests and I hope to do well in many of them ... but I’m confident that when delegates – as well as voters, like the voters of Pennsylvania just did – ask themselves who’s the stronger candidate against John McCain that I will be the nominee of the Democratic party.”

In the overall race for the nomination, Mr Obama leads with 1,714.5 delegates, including separately chosen party and elected officials known as superdelegates. Mrs Clinton has 1,589.5 delegates.

Because there are only nine contests remaining Mrs Clinton has only the remotest chance of finishing the race with more elected delegates than Mr Obama. Her main hope is keeping the race close and seeking the support of the superdelegates, who can vote for either candidate regardless of state results.

Barring a huge misstep by Mr Obama, many superdelegates would be reluctant to overturn the verdict of the millions of Americans who have voted in record numbers in the most compelling party presidential nominating race in memory.