After weeks of being bombarded with TV ads, university speeches, and baby-kissing events, the people of Pennsylvania finally have their chance to decide which Democrat they want to see run against Senator John McCain in the general election for President of the United States.
Senator Barack Obama of Illinois currently leads in the delegate count and the popular vote and has won more states. Still, New York's Senator Hillary Clinton remains in the race thanks to a series of wins in bigger, delegate-heavy states like Ohio, Texas, California and New York.
"If Clinton wins by single digits, we're in a political twilight zone.
Nothing changes," said Bill Schneider, CNN senior political analyst.
But if Obama pulls off an unexpecte win, "Clinton will face tremendous pressure to end her campaign rather than
damage the party," he added.
Obama's chances of an upset rest on a strong performance in Philadelphia where he is expected to do well among African-American voters and in the city's wealthier suburbs.
"It's going to be close... we are going to do a lot better than people expect," Obama told a Pittsburgh radio station, this week, The Associated Press reported.
While Clinton has garnered endorsements from the state's major leaders, including Governor Ed Rendell and the mayors of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, Obama managed to sweep newspaper endorsements in the state, gaining support from such publications as Philly's
Inquirer, Pittsburgh's
Post Gazette, and Allentown's
Morning Call.
There are 158 pledge delegates at stake in Pennsylvania, which will be divied according to the percentage of votes won. Polls opened at 7a.m. EST and will close at 8p.m. EST.
