Obama Beats Clinton in Mississippi Primary

JACKSON, Miss. — Senator Obama coasted to victory in Mississippi's Democratic primary today, latest in a string of racially polarized presidential contests across the Deep South and a final tune-up before next month's high-stakes race with Senator Clinton in Pennsylvania.

Mr. Obama was winning roughly 90% of the black vote but only about one-quarter of the white vote, extending a pattern that carried him to victory in earlier primaries in South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana.

His triumph was widely expected, and seemed destined to do nothing to shorten a Democratic marathon expected to last at least six more weeks — and possibly far longer — while Republicans and their nominee-in-waiting, Senator McCain, turn their attention to the fall campaign.

Mr. Obama picked up at least six Mississippi delegates to the Democratic National Convention, with 27 more to be awarded. He hoped for a win sizable enough to erase most if not all of Mrs. Clinton's 11-delegate gain from last week, when she won three primaries.

Mr. Obama began the night with 1,579 delegates, to 1,473 for Mrs. Clinton. It takes 2,025 to win the nomination.