It's now common wisdom that Senetor Hillary Clinton attracts older voters, women and the white working class, while Sen. Barack Obama is the go-to guy for youth, African-Americans and the elite.

Retired teacher Maggie Lauria, 58, fits the mold.

"For us women, our time has come," Ms Lauria said at a rally on Wednesday for Mrs Clinton in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

That the Democratic candidates battling to be the party's nominee for the November presidential election became so closely identified with certain voter segments has been chalked up to demographics and campaign tactics - or mistakes.

After a big win for Mr Obama in the North Carolina primary and a narrow Mrs Clinton victory in Indiana on Tuesday, Mr Obama holds a big lead over Mrs Clinton in the contest for the nomination, but Mrs Clinton has vowed to stay in the race.

Exit polls from the Indiana primary showed about six in 10 voters under age 30 favoured Mr Obama, while seven of 10 aged 65 and over chose Mrs Clinton. Six in 10 whites voted for Mrs Clinton, and 90 per cent of blacks favoured Mr Obama.

Gender, race and age divides can be explained by voters opting for the candidate who most resembles them. Mrs Clinton, 61, would be the first female US President, while Mr Obama, 46, would be the first black to take the Oval Office.

But working-class voters opting for Mrs Clinton and more educated professionals choosing Mrs Obama has analysts scratching their heads a bit.

Both Mrs Clinton and Mr Obama went to top universities - she to Wellesley, he to Harvard - and both are now wealthy. Mr Obama, raised by a single mother, had a more modest childhood, but neither did manual labour to make ends meet. Mrs Clinton has emerged as the defender of the working class - voters once claimed by rival Senetor John Edwards, who dropped out of the race.

The elite tag hurt Mr Obama, but huge youth turnout has buoyed his campaign. Mrs Clinton lacks youth support, but working-class union members are considered more reliable on election day.

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