(Lead)
DPA
Washington, March 5 (DPA) Senator Barack Obama has won the Vermont primary, CNN and Fox television projections showed, capturing the first of four states up for grabs in balloting to determine the Democratic presidential nominee. On the Republican side, Senator John McCain captured Vermont, further tightening his grip on his party’s nomination for the Nov 4 presidential election.

Obama defeated Senator Hillary Clinton in Vermont and the results in Rhode Island, Texas and Ohio primaries are awaited.

Polls show Clinton and Obama in tight races in Texas and Ohio, the two most important states in Tuesday’s elections. Obama has emerged as the clear Democratic frontrunner, and defeats for Clinton in Texas and Ohio would leave the former first lady with perhaps an insurmountable deficit.
DPA