DNA India

Washington, Mar 5: In a dramatic comeback, Hillary Clinton today won the crucial state of Ohio and Rhode Island, ending frontrunner Barack Obama's 12-win streak and signaling that the Democratic White House race was far for over.

"You know what they say. As Ohio goes, so goes the nation," the 60-year-old former first lady told cheering supporters in Ohio, which had 141 delegates at stake.
     
Polls projected at least 16 percentage points lead for Clinton, who had been facing mounting pressure from rivals and even supporters to call it quits in case of a defeat in either of two big-ticket states of Ohio and Texas.
     
Earlier, Obama won the Vermont primary (15 delegates), clinching nearly 60 per cent of the votes for a 12th straight win over Clinton, but she bounced back with a win in the northeastern state of Rhode Island (21 delegates), collecting about 53 per cent of the votes.

"This nation is coming back and so is the campaign," a beaming Clinton said as the two rivals nervously waited for a result in the crucial lone star state of Texas (193) which the media said was too close to call.
     
With one-third of the votes counted both Clinton and Obama were tied at 49 per cent each but with the New York democrat was leading by a few hundred votes.
     
Exit polls have showed Clinton doing very well among blue collar workers in Ohio. Obama has done well among the college educated with both law makers.

Before today's results, Obama, 46, had 1,385 delegates compared to Clinton's 1,276. A total of 2,025 is needed to secure the Democratic Party's nomination at its national convention to be held in Denver in August.