LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, May 21, SPA -- Barack Obama advanced to thebrink of victory in the Democratic presidential race,defeating Hillary Rodham Clinton in the Oregon primary andmoving within 70 delegates of the total he needs to claimtheir hard-fought nomination contest. Clinton countered with a lopsided win earlier Tuesday inKentucky. Obama, who is seeking to become the first black U.S. President, said the night's contests gave him a majority ofthe delegates elected in all 56 primaries and caucusescombined. They are distinct from the nearly 800superdelegates, party leaders and elected officials who arefree to vote for any candidate and hold the balance ofpower at the Democratic national convention this August inDenver. Clinton won at least 54 delegates in the two states andObama won at least 39, according to an analysis of electionreturns by The Associated Press. All the Kentucky delegateswere awarded, but there were still 10 to be allocated inOregon. He had 1,956 delegates overall, out of 2,026 needed forthe nomination to face off against Republican John McCainin the November election. Clinton had 1,776 in theirmarathon race that has shattered voter turnout records instate after state. Obama has won 1,649.5 pledged delegates in the primariesand caucuses, surpassing the 1,627 needed to claim amajority.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/557882