[9 / 1 / ?]
Quoted By: >>679342
After Barack Obama's sweep of five primary contests over the weekend, he is poised to bag another hefty prize: Virginia.
The state's demographics overwhelmingly suggest a win for the Illinois senator, and he has the nod of governor Tim Kaine and former governor and current Richmond mayor Doug Wilder. Fully 101 delegates are at stake in the state.
If the neat demographic slices of the Democratic party vote in Virginia as they have in previous states, Obama should win. He's well ahead in polling, with a recent poll showing him beating Clinton 53% to 37%.
"Obama's the favourite," University of Virginia political science professor Larry Sabato said succinctly.
Election analysts say Virginia's large African-American population, the concentration of well-educated and affluent whites in northern Virginia and the large number of college students in the state make it prime Obama territory. Obama should do well in the Richmond and Norfolk areas.
The state has been willing to elect blacks to high office. Wilder was the first African American elected governor of a US state. Blacks make up about 30% of the Democratic primary vote.
As in other states, Obama's candidacy seems to have energised young voters more than Clinton's. On Saturday night, throngs of excited college-aged men and women paraded down Broad Street in Richmond en route to a massive Democratic rally at the Virginia Commonwealth University basketball arena.
Dancing alongside a drum corps, the youngsters sang out "O-O-O-Bama! Yes, we can!" while Clinton's older, more reserved supporters watched nervously, incapable of competing with the noise and enthusiasm.
The state's demographics overwhelmingly suggest a win for the Illinois senator, and he has the nod of governor Tim Kaine and former governor and current Richmond mayor Doug Wilder. Fully 101 delegates are at stake in the state.
If the neat demographic slices of the Democratic party vote in Virginia as they have in previous states, Obama should win. He's well ahead in polling, with a recent poll showing him beating Clinton 53% to 37%.
"Obama's the favourite," University of Virginia political science professor Larry Sabato said succinctly.
Election analysts say Virginia's large African-American population, the concentration of well-educated and affluent whites in northern Virginia and the large number of college students in the state make it prime Obama territory. Obama should do well in the Richmond and Norfolk areas.
The state has been willing to elect blacks to high office. Wilder was the first African American elected governor of a US state. Blacks make up about 30% of the Democratic primary vote.
As in other states, Obama's candidacy seems to have energised young voters more than Clinton's. On Saturday night, throngs of excited college-aged men and women paraded down Broad Street in Richmond en route to a massive Democratic rally at the Virginia Commonwealth University basketball arena.
Dancing alongside a drum corps, the youngsters sang out "O-O-O-Bama! Yes, we can!" while Clinton's older, more reserved supporters watched nervously, incapable of competing with the noise and enthusiasm.
