Obama/Clinton battle remains close

Updated 14.41 Sun Feb 10 2008

Keywords: Democrat, Republican, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama

Barack Obama has won the Louisiana Democratic primary, lifting his campaign for the party's presidential nomination.

In addition to Louisiana, the Illinois senator has solidly defeated rival Hillary Clinton in South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama.

Mr Obama has won more states overall than the former first lady - but Mrs Clinton has won more big states like California and New York

Mr Obama has won more states overall than the former first lady - especially in the Midwest and West - but Mrs Clinton has won more big states like California and New York.

Meanwhile, Mike Huckabee has vowed to stay in the Republican Party's nominating race, despite trailing far behind rival John McCain.

"Am I quitting? Let's get that settled right now. No, I'm not," Mr Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor and a Baptist preacher, told a conference of conservative activists.

Mr Huckabee said he would continue his campaign at least until Mr McCain captured the decisive number of delegates, and denied he was weighing being his rival's vice-presidential running mate.

Republicans in the states still to hold nominating contests "deserve more than a coronation, they deserve an election," he said to applause.

He added: "I know the pundits and I know what they say -- that the math doesn't work out.

"Folks, I didn't major in math, I majored in miracles, and I still believe in those too."

Mr McCain, an Arizona senator, has built an almost insurmountable lead, having rolled up more than 700 of the 1,081 delegates needed to win the Republican nomination.

The second-strongest Republican contender, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, dropped out on Thursday after failing to perform well in "Super Tuesday" voting.