Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton planned today for a long and bruising presidential nominating battle and John McCain solidified a commanding Republican lead after a big night of key victories.
Mr McCain's coast-to-coast Super Tuesday wins in crucial states clarified the Republican race and put him on the verge of a stunning political comeback, while the Democratic picture grew murkier on the biggest day of voting to choose candidates for November's presidential election.
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Counting has finished in all states with the exception of California, where, according to the precincts counted to date, Mrs Clinton has won 52 per cent of Democratic votes and Mr Obama about 42 per cent. Counting is expected to continue there for a number of hours.
On the basis of the results so far, Mr Obama won 13 states and Clinton eight, including her expected win in California and also New York, as they battled to a virtual draw.
On the basis of theses results Ms Clinton secured 582 delegates on Super Tuesday while Mr Obama secured 562 delegates.
The Republican contest was more clear-cut as Mr McCain won nine states and 511 delegates, including victories in California and the Northeast, to take charge of the Republican race.
"I think we must get used to the idea that we are the Republican Party front-runner for the nomination," Mr McCain told supporters in Scottsdale, Arizona. "And I don't really mind it one bit."
The Arizona senator whose campaign was all but dead last summer captured a huge haul of the convention delegates who select the party's presidential nominee, taking several big states where delegates are granted on a winner-take-all basis.
Republican rivals Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee vowed to fight on, but could face growing questions about their viability. Mr Romney won seven states and Mr Huckabee won five yesterday.
Eight states hold contests in the next six days, including seven Democratic battles in Louisiana, Nebraska and Washington on Saturday, Maine on Sunday, and Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia on Tuesday.
Under Democratic Party rules, delegates are proportioned by results statewide and in individual congressional districts. This enables both candidates to roll up big delegate totals even in states they lose.
Both camps said the likelihood of a prolonged contest lasting into the summer was growing.
"You have to look at the whole entirety of this calendar all the way through June, and project out where the pledged delegates are going to be," Mr Obama campaign manager David Plouffe told reporters.
Mr Obama, an Illinois senator who would be the first black US president, and Ms Clinton, a New York senator who would be the first woman US president, continued their dominance in crucial Democratic voter blocs.
Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain is introduced by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at a rally in San Diego
Mr Obama won big among black voters, the party's most reliable supporters, while increasing his tally among white voters in some key states, exit polls showed. Ms Clinton scored well with women and Hispanics as she swept Tuesday's biggest states.
All three of the senators - Mr Obama, Ms Clinton and Mr McCain - in the race were expected to return to Washington on Wednesday to vote on an economic stimulus package in the Senate.
Mr McCain, who lost the Republican primary race in 2000 to George W. Bush, still faces a struggle to win over conservatives in the party, who have been angered by his views on immigration, tax cuts and campaign finance reform.
Mr Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and wealthy venture capitalist who spent at least $35 million of his own money on the race, has argued McCain lacks the conservative credentials to be the party nominee.
Mr McCain and Mr Romney were scheduled to address a conference of conservatives in Washington on Thursday, while Mr Huckabee was scheduled to speak there on Saturday.
"There is still a sense of urgency out there among conservatives to stop McCain," said Romney spokesman Kevin Madden. "We're going to make our case to win the heart and soul of the party."
Mr Huckabee said fund-raising has picked up and he expected to be competitive in upcoming contests in Virginia, Kansas and Texas.
"This is still a race that is ongoing," the former Arkansas governor said on ABC's "Good Morning America." "The only way we can be absolutely assured of losing is to leave the game."