Obama expands lead on Clinton in California

Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama opened narrow leads on Hillary Clinton in California and Missouri one day before crucial "Super Tuesday", nominating contests in 24 states, according to a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released yesterdsay.

In the Republican race, Arizona Senator John McCain solidified his double-digit leads over Mitt Romney in New York and New Jersey, but Mr Romney expanded his lead in California, the biggest prize on "Super Tuesday".

Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton were deadlocked in New Jersey, and Mr Obama enjoyed a double-digit advantage over Mrs Clinton in Georgia in two other Democratic contests on the biggest single day of voting ever in a US presidential nominating campaign.

Mr Obama, an Illinois senator, and Mrs Clinton, a New York senator, have waged a bitter duel for the Democratic presidential nomination, competing for votes from coast to coast after splitting the first four significant contests.

"The momentum is with Obama," said pollster John Zogby. "If this trend continues it could be a very big night for him."

Mr Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, led Mr McCain 40 per cent to 32 per cent in California, where the margin of error was 3.3 percentage points. A win in California, the most populous state, could help puncture Mr McCain's growing momentum in the Republican nomination fight.

Mr McCain won the last two contests, in South Carolina and Florida, to seize the front-runner's slot in a hard-fought Republican race despite qualms among some conservatives about his past views on taxes, immigration and campaign finance.

"Mr Romney is widening his lead in California and has a really big advantage with conservatives," Mr Zogby said. "Mr Romney winning California would give some Republicans pause when they look at Mr McCain as the potential nominee."

In Missouri, Mr McCain leads former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee by 35 per cent to 27 per cent, with Mr Romney in third place at 24 per cent. The margin of error was 3.4 percentage points.

"Mr Huckabee and Mr Romney are splitting the anti-McCain vote in states like Missouri," Mr Zogby said.

The Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby rolling tracking poll surveyed presidential races in both parties in California, New Jersey and Missouri. The polls also looked at the Republican race in New York and the Democratic race in Georgia.

In California, Mr Obama gained two points on Mrs Clinton overnight to lead 46 per cent to 40 per cent, with a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points. Mr Obama wiped out a one-point Mrs Clinton advantage in Missouri to take a 47 per cent to 42 per cent lead, with a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points.

The two rivals were deadlocked at 43 per cent in New Jersey, with 10 per cent still undecided. Obama had a 17-point edge in Georgia, aided by a more than three-to-one edge among black voters.

Both Democrats continued to build a strong base of support, with Mrs Clinton favoured by women, Hispanics and elderly voters and Obama favoured by blacks, men and young voters.

The new poll found Mr McCain, who could be on the path to the Republican nomination with a strong performance today, doubling Mr Romney's support in New Jersey and doing even better in New York.

All of the presidential contenders today are aiming to win a big share of the national convention delegates who choose the nominees. More than half of the total Democratic delegates are up for grabs today, and about 40 per cent of the Republican delegates.

The rolling polls in all five states were taken from Friday through Sunday with samples ranging from 835 likely Republican voters in New Jersey to 967 likely Democratic voters in California.