By Laura J. Mansfield

Hillary Clinton won the coveted Texas primary last Tuesday, after both candidates campaigned hard there for weeks. Although early voting showed Obama ahead of Clinton, she was the victor of the primary in Texas. Clinton won 51% of the votes and gained 65 delegates. Obama recieved 47% of the votes and won 61 delegates. Caucus results are still being processed in Texas, but there are 67 delegates tied to the caucus and Obama is the projected winner.
Texas was a crucial win for Clinton. According to former President Bill Clinton, and many pundits, her run for the White House would have been over if she lost.

From CNN: “If she wins Texas and Ohio I think she will be the nominee. If you don’t deliver for her, I don’t think she can be. It’s all on you,” the former President told an audience in Beaumont, Texas at the beginning of his speech earlier this month.

Clinton’s victories in Ohio, Texas, and Rhode Island solidified the continuity of a “dead-heat” race for the Democratic Presidential nomination. It also changed the direction of the race, as neither candidate will have enough delegates to reach 2,025, which are needed for the nomination.

At the Municipal Building in San Antonio last Tuesday night, Obama, who won Vermont that night, acknowledged Clinton’s wins, and addressed the future with a speech that was different from any that he has delivered at past rallies. The speech lasted roughly fifteen minutes and was delivered in a very serious tone, to a smaller than usual crowd. He sounded tired, but firm when he told the crowd: “we are on our way to winning this nomination.”

Sensing the battle that lied ahead, Obama was direct when he delivered his message. “It is now my hope and our task to set this country on a course that will keep this promise alive in the 21st century, and the eyes of the world are watching to see if we can,” said Obama.

The race so far has been a rollercoaster, and the outcome in Texas only ensures that it will continue. The outcome has renewed interest in a Michigan and Florida “re-do,” and the importance of the super delegate endorsements. It can also be expected that negative attack ads will come more into play, as Clinton’s 3 a.m. ad proved to work against Obama. He is going to have to respond to negative attacks from Clinton, but also stay true to his campaign message of not running a negative campaign.

The road for the Democrats is far from over. According to CNN, Obama has 1,553 delegates and Clinton has 1, 438. With talks of re-doing MI and FL, the super delegates endorsements, a possible joint ticket, and upcoming primaries, there is a lot that keeps this race changing from one day to the next.