Tom Baldwin in Columbus, Ohio, and Tim Reid in San Antonio, Texas
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How it happened | Behind the scenes | McCain wins Republican race | Analysis: Clinton's prodigal coalition | Sketch
Hillary Clinton vowed that she would win the Democratic nomination today after securing desperately needed victories in Ohio, Rhode Island and Texas, a triple triumph that means her titanic struggle with Barack Obama will continue into the spring — and possibly to the nominating convention this summer.
"Ohio has written a new chapter in the history of this campaign and we're just getting started," she declared after arriving in a storm of confetti at a party for wildly celebrating supporters in the state capital of Columbus.
Her win in the big, blue-collar state halted Mr Obama's momentum after his 12 straight victories and threw doubts over whether he would after all emerge as the Democratic nominee from their epic and historically charged race.

A couple of hours later, news organisations declared her the victor in a close battle for Texas, the other big state voting yesterday. Mr Obama's campaign was swift to point out that it is still virtually impossible for her to catch him in elected delegates.
With a third of the Texas delegates being picked by post-primary caucuses — which he was leading by 55 to 44 per cent as counting closed for the night — Mr Obama's three-figure lead is unlikely to be dented significantly. It could even be extended further with anticipated victories over the coming days in Mississippi and Wyoming.
According to a near-complete vote count, Mrs Clinton won about 55 per cent of the vote in Ohio. She was winning just over 50 per cent in the Texas primary and carried Rhode Island with a convincing 58 per cent of the vote.
Despite losing to Mr Obama in Vermont, the results showed that she had clearly earned the right to carry on campaigning into the next big contest in Pennsylvania on April 22 and beyond.
"Everybody who has ever been counted out and refused to be knocked out, for everyone who has stumbled and stood right back up and for everybody who works hard and never gives up — this one's for you," she said.
"We're going on, we're going strong and we're going all the way!" The crowd erupted in chants of "Yes, she will". She pointed out that Ohio was regarded as a crucial bellwether of opinion:
"You know what they say, 'As Ohio goes, so goes the nation'. Well, this nation is coming back — and so is this campaign."
Last night's votes had been an opportunity for Mr Obama to close the deal for the Democratic nomination. But, even though she was out-spent by her opponent by a factor of two to one, she has once more prised the race open.
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She's one tough lil' lady. Osama had better watch out.
Please note the "S".
Gerald B., Aarhus , Denmark
I enjoyed watching Hillary's speech yesterday! I admire her determinination and the willingness to fight and win! She's down but never out! Something that is desperately needed in this country today. The economy is going downhill, food and gas prices are going up. The dollar keeps sinking to new lows everyday! In November though, no matter who is the Democratic nominee, I'll still vote either HIllary or Obama. Both are outstanding candidates. No way for Mccain! He wants to adopt Bush's policies, well, this country will then stay in the dumps as it is in the dumps right now!
Ann, Pasadena, CA
What is depressing is the ugliness that has permeated the Democrats nomination campaign in the last week. The negative attacks by Clinton will haunt her in the fall (assuming she is the democrats nomination). The GOP will run the same 3-minute ad (over sleeping children) and say Clinton does not have the experience to be Commander in chief (McCain is afterall a war hero). Clinton's attacks on Obama for lack of experience will be used against her because the GOP will run advertisments saying she also lacks experience and in truth McCain does have more experience as an elected officer than Clinton. The reality is that the points Clinton makes against Obama can equally be used against her by McCain. The concern must be that the negative attacks by Clinton is simply supplying ammunition to the GOP to use in the fall. Why bother doing research to attack your opponents when your opponents are doing it themselves. The world is watching how the candidates conduct themselves.
John George, London, UK
Go, Go, Go, Hillary. Go to victory
Ralph, liaoning, China
Obama skeletons are going to continue to surface.. His arrogance will keep him out of the white house! McCain is the right person for the job!
Jan, charleston, U.S
They are both great candidates.
But Hillary has the advantage of having the best president that the USA has had in years as an advisor if she wins .
I would love to see her as president & him as vice president for 8 years & then him as president.
One thing is for sure the US cannot afford another republican president after the disaster the present one has been.
Brian.
brian lee, medina , USA Ohio
@Bob in Singapore: what a misogynistic comment! None of the other candidates are being judged on their appearance. Hillary is a woman, yes, but she's also brilliant. Look at her as a candidate, and not just a woman, for heaven's sake! BTW, Botox is not the American way, it's the California way.
drumdiva, Trumbull, Connecticut, USA
Emma, NYC
Singapore is a city state at the end of the Thai peninsula
RICHARD BOYCE, Haywards Heath, West Sussex
Drat! Thought we could go back to having more UK news. Come on Obama - put the Clintons to the sword.
Ian Burgess, Bristol,
well, whatever your view, you'd have to say that the contest certainly has the attention of the world far more than it nornally would.
Simon, Sydney, Australia
Emma New York,
Perhaps the lady doth protest too much.
H, Perth,
Only one problem with the article- no one can count. If you tune into the Slate delegate calculator on the internet you can easily see that Clinton will have difficulty getting the necessary delegates even if she win the next eleven contests.
alan morgan, Merifons, France
After two terms of Dubbya I can't believe America's toying with the idea of shooting itself in the foot again. Billary's a car wreck in a blonde crash helmet. Let's just hope Barack Obama grabs the keys off her before she careers into the White House.
Thomas Martin, London, UK
I must say, I am really delighted! Specially, after all the unfair bashing she has received from the media!
Time and time again this woman has come from behind and won -- she deserves to be nominated!
Nick, London, UK
it will be appropriate if the superdelegates decide the outcome. one criticism of obama is that he can't play the game. we'll see, won't we?
jem, london, uk
It is not good democracy to have USA ruled by 2 families over 20 years: Bush, Clinton, Clinton, Bush, Bush, Clinton, Clinton - no, no: stop it. A clean sweep out is needed in the white house.
Andy, Surrey, UK
Well done, Hillary! You are the right choice. I hope you win.
KP
kp, London ,
In response to Emma, NY - by virtue of your comment, don't you think its a case of the pot calling the kettle black here?
Getting back to the subject, can the USA come to its senses - anyone but Clinton, please. Her career history makes Machiavelli's look innocent by comparison - you only have to look at the way she behaved towards her husband's presidential staff to see what a deeply unpleasant character she is.
Choose Obama or McCain as they both have more substance and moral fibre in their little finger than HC has in her entire body (provided of course that the latter can keep in check the more whackier xenophobic Neo Cons in his party, whose behaviour at times has the potential to threaten and undermine any hopes of acheiving stability in the world nearly as much as that nutcase Bin Laden).
As was once said about an equally unpleasant British MP (and chinless wonder), there is something of the night about Hilary - its just about the power for her, nothing else.
Arthur, London,
Emma form New York.... you SERIOUSLY need to take some geography lessons and read up current affairs.
Singapore is an independent island state of the southern coast of the Malay Peninsula.... one place it is NOT is in the UK.
Neither does it have, nor did it every have, Tony Blair as a politician.
I'm not sure whether I should laugh or cry at your ignorance.
Lance, Crawley, UK
I would vote for Hilary Clinton, people who will not voet because of her husband are wrong.
Its awaste to vote barak Obama, he just does not seem right.
If Obama wins !! then I hope that Macain does it for America.
David, Birmingham, UK
Well done Hillary ! I am with you all the way. Although I have no vote being a UK citizen, I think you will be the best thing for the US in many, many years of presidents and the office they hold. In addition to changing some of the significant challenges the richest nation on earth faces within, I also believe you will be one to to really move and change the face of the world. Go for it ! Paul Evesham, UK
Paul Myler, Evesham, UK
Hillary kicked our butts this time :)
But, it's not over until the fat lady sings! And Wyoming, Mississippi, North Carolina, you know what to do! We want the Obama mobile, which had just stopped to refuel, regaining the momentum.
Elias, Stevenage, UK
Carol Lee the fact that you are financially relatively well off, you have the luxury of voting for Obama. What if you not financially well off? The feel good "yes we can" is not just good enough.
Don, Bakersfield, USA
Carol Lee - because the Clinton White House was a horrorshow of a buoyant economy and international respect. Let's hope we never have to see that again.
Honestly, what's with the Clinton-hating?
Dave H, Birmingham,
Americans - wake up you always seem to elect the wrong candidate.
In the last Presidential elections - you elected GW & then it seemed that the majority amongst you were unable to live with your choice.
The US economy is in now in tatters and requires rebuilding with great expertise - or history will record the Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire as a damp squib in comparison with the irretrievable collapse of the USA.
Remember - when you elect a president, you also get an administration.
Which candidate can gather the best administration to save your economy.
A Clinton administration is your only lifeline to future prosperity.
A prosperous US means a prosperous world.
Richard, Bucharest,
If she doesn't win this thing fairly - that is, without more pledged delegates and popular vote total - expect to see a massive exodus from the Democratic Party.
Greg, San Francisco, California
Bob, Singapore. Remember petty minds dwell on petty things. Who was it, Tony Bliar who spent a fortune on cosmetics? But I presume that's the typical British male way, no?
Emma, New York City, USA
i am a financially relative well off independent voter, i voted for Obama;
but if Democrates choose mrs Clinton, i will vote for MaCain , i just don't want to see Mr. Clinton to go back to White House, same as my wife.
carol lee, fremont, california, usa
Ever wrinkle on her face? Every time I see her she has less and less and more of a botox appearance. Then again that is the American way is it not?
Bob, Singapore,