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Obama, Hillary all set for Wyoming caucuses
Published on Sat, Mar 08, 2008 at 22:19, Updated on Sat, Mar 08, 2008 at 22:28 in World section
Tags: Us Presidential Elections, Barack Obama , Casper
SMALL WONDER: A child holds a campaign sign before former president Bill Clinton speaks in Rock Springs.
The epic battle between Hillary and Obama has given Wyoming Democrats - outnumbered more than 2-to-1 by Republicans in Vice President Dick Cheney's home state - a relevancy they have not experienced in a presidential race in nearly 50 years.
"Wyoming is usually not thought of as a momentum state, but it happens to fall on a calendar at a good time for both of them," said Kenneth Bickers, political science chair at the University of Colorado who is an expert in Western politics.
"Both of them need to be able to claim a victory. Both of them need whatever delegates they can get to help move their delegate count in a positive direction."
A victory in Wyoming would give the winner a slight boost going into Mississippi, where Obama is again favoured because of the state's significant black population. Obama, who is aiming to become the first black US president, has carried a large majority of African-American voters.
Obama holds the lead in delegates, 1,571-1,462, but Hillary has the edge with superdelegates: 242-210.
A total of 2,025 delegates is needed to win the nomination at the party's convention in late August, and neither candidate will have the necessary majority without superdelegate support, according to an analysis by The Associated Press.
Only in the past few weeks have the campaigns stepped up their presence in Wyoming, opening offices and calling voters and sending mailers.
The first visit came on Thursday, when former President Bill Hillary made three appearances in the state.
The candidates followed on Friday. Hillary held town-hall meetings in Casper and Cheyenne. Obama held a town hall meeting in Casper and a rally in Laramie at the University of Wyoming, counting on support from college students.
Obama has been running television and radio ads in the state, while Hillary has been running radio ads.
About 59,000 registered Democrats are eligible to participate in Wyoming's 23 county caucuses.
The division between Democrats could benefit Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain: Many of those who responded to the Newsweek poll said they would vote for McCain if their preferred Democratic candidate was not nominated.
McCain has already surpassed the number of delegates needed to clinch his party's nomination at the Republican convention in September.
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