271 days, 9 hours ago
The Democratic Race Going Forward
By The Associated Press, Associated Press

Relates to: Max Baucus, Evan Bayh, Hillary Clinton, Tom Daschle, John Edwards, John McCain, Barack Obama, Earl Blumenauer, Darlene Hooley, John Yarmuth, Bill Clinton, Ted Kulongoski, Dave Freudenthal, Brian Schweitzer, Beverly Perdue, Ed Rendell, John Millin

A look at the upcoming contests in the race between Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination:

WYOMING:

Caucuses on March 8 with 12 delegates

Wyoming Democrats are outnumbered by Republicans by more than 2-to-1. No public polling has been done in the state. Gov. Dave Freudenthal, a Democrat, has declined to endorse either candidate, while state party Chair John Millin is backing Obama.

Former President Clinton is scheduled to campaign for his wife in the state on Thursday; Obama, who has generally performed better in caucuses, arrives on Friday.

MISSISSIPPI:

Primary is March 11 with 33 delegates

Mississippi's population is 60 percent white and about 38 percent black, according to the U.S. Census. The state does not register voters by party. Historical voting patterns show high black turnout in Democratic primaries. This might translate into strong showing for Obama. Clinton was first lady of neighboring Arkansas for the 12 years while her husband was governor.

Three of the state's superdelegates have endorsed Obama, three others are uncommitted and one superdelegate will be named during the state convention June 7.

PENNSYLVANIA:

Primary is April 22 with 158 delegates

Pennsylvania is the biggest prize left to be won in the nomination battle, and the political terrain favors Clinton. The primary is open only to registered Democrats, leaving out the independents and crossover Republicans who have boosted Obama's candidacy. Pennsylvanians who want to participate have until March 24 to register as a Democrat.

Pennsylvania is also an industrial state that has suffered from a changing economy similar to neighboring Ohio, where Clinton soundly defeated Obama. And 15 percent of Pennsylvanians are senior citizens, a larger percentage than all but two other states. and this group has been among Clinton's most reliable supporters. Clinton has consistently led Obama in polls of likely voters in the state, but her lead had narrowed to just 5 percent in a poll taken in February.

The state also has 29 superdelegates, including Gov. Ed Rendell, who has campaigned for Clinton.

GUAM:

Caucuses on May 3 with 4 delegates

It's a safe bet neither candidate will visit the far-off Pacific Ocean island.

NORTH CAROLINA:

Primary is May 6 with 115 delegates

North Carolina is the home state of former Democratic candidate John Edwards. The former senator has met with both Obama and Clinton, but has yet to endorse a candidate, as have many of the superdelegates from the state who initially backed Edwards' second bid for the White House.

Obama won neighboring South Carolina and Georgia partly on his strength among black voters, and blacks make up 22 percent of North Carolina's population. But Clinton could fare well in a primary where she'll share the ballot with Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, a Democrat making a bid to become the state's first female governor.

INDIANA:

Primary is May 6 with 72 delegates

Indiana's pledged delegates are awarded proportionally: 47 of them based on primary results in the state's nine congressional districts and 25 from the statewide results. Like neighboring Ohio, a large share of the state's work force 13.7 percent is in manufacturing, and the black population is relatively small at 9 percent. The state doesn't have registration by party, and the primary will be open to independents and crossover Republicans.

Popular Sen. Evan Bayh and four other of the state's 11 superdelegates have endorsed Clinton, while one is backing Obama. The state's four Democratic congressmen remain uncommitted. Obama, the senator from neighboring Illinois, could benefit from Chicago media coverage in northwest Indiana communities such as Gary and East Chicago. Neither candidate has been to the state since last July.

WEST VIRGINIA:

Primary is May 13 with 28 delegates

The primary is open to independent voters. Bill Clinton carried the state in both of his wins. It also has the fourth-lowest percentage of nonwhite residents in the country, U.S. Census figures show. The economy, especially the future of the state's coal industry, is a key issue.

Hillary Clinton visited the Mountain State in July for a fundraiser and a town hall-style meeting. Obama has not campaigned in the state. Obama outraised Clinton in the state in January, but overall Clinton has raised three times more money in West Virginia than Obama and Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain combined. Of the state's ten superdelegates, three have endorsed Clinton, one is backing Obama, and the rest are undecided.

OREGON:

Primary is May 20 with 52 delegates

Oregon is the only state in the nation where elections are done entirely by mail. Voting begins about three weeks before "election day" and is open only to registered Democrats. Polling suggests Obama has an edge over Clinton, and that Oregon Democrats believe he would match up better against McCain in the general election. Obama could do particularly well in the liberal strongholds of Portland and Eugene, but the more moderate Portland suburbs could prove fertile territory for Clinton.

Turnout should be high for Democrats, who will also be choosing a candidate to run against Sen. Gordon Smith in the fall, a Republican incumbent who is considered vulnerable. Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Rep. Darlene Hooley have endorsed Clinton, while Rep. Earl Blumenauer has endorsed Obama. The rest of the state's 12 superdelegates are uncommitted.

KENTUCKY:

Primary is May 20 with 51 delegates

Kentucky is predominantly white with a strong blue-collar presence in a conservative state that Bill Clinton carried twice in the 1990s. Republicans and independent voters can't cast ballots in the Democratic race.

The state has large pockets of poverty, especially in its Appalachian region. The state's household median income of $39,372 is more than $9,000 below the national average, according to 2006 figures. Manufacturing and construction make up 22 percent of employment. Obama has been endorsed by first-term Rep. John Yarmuth, who represents the Louisville area, a key Democratic stronghold.

PUERTO RICO:

Caucuses on June 1 with 55 delegates

Seven superdelegates will round out the island's 62 convention votes. Three of the superdelegates are committed to Clinton, two to Obama, and two are uncommitted. Residents of the island get no vote in the general election.

Puerto Rican politics largely revolve around the long-standing debate over what should be the island's future relationship to the U.S. mainland. Clinton may benefit from the island's close links to New York, home to many people from Puerto Rico.

Democrats here are pushing to change their contest to a primary this year, but still need national party approval.

MONTANA:

Primary is June 3 with 16 delegates

The most recent poll, taken in December, showed that Clinton was preferred over Obama among Montana Democrats, although a majority of voters in the state have an unfavorable impression of her. There is no party registration in Montana; the primary is open to all voters.

The state's most prominent Democrats Sen. Max Baucus and Gov. Brian Schweitzer have said they will not make an endorsement until after the primary. The state's economy has so far remained strong. Prices for farm commodities and natural resources like oil are still solid, and unemployment is low.

SOUTH DAKOTA:

Primary is June 3 with 15 delegates

No independent public opinion polls have been published on the candidates' popularity in the state, and neither Obama nor Clinton has campaigned in South Dakota. However, Obama has solid backing from South Dakota's superdelegates six of seven have publicly endorsed him, including former Sen. Tom Daschle. Several former Daschle aides hold key positions in Obama's campaign.

(This version CORRECTS Corrects number of years Clinton was first lady in Arkansas to 12)

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