... And in S. Dakota

The Treasure State may crown Obama

(NEWSER) - Montana is shaping up to be a slam dunk for Barack Obama and a chance to head into the general election with some momentum, according to recent polls. But a surprise win by Hillary Clinton could give her the credibility she needs to sway superdelegates, writes Politico. Five things to watch:

• East vs. West: Clinton may be edging Obama out in the more rural east, and “if she starts cutting into his margins in the western part of the state, it could be closer,” says a pollster.

Plenty of time to turn this thing around, advisers believe

(NEWSER) - As Barack Obama continues to bask in the glow of a string of impressive primary victories, Team Clinton is pulling out the stops to capture important wins in Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania. Clinton advisers have hardly given up hope. They're optimistic Hillary can accomplish the latest victory blueprint: nail pending debates against Barack, exploit the extra time to convincingly re-present her appeal to voters, and win over the super delegates they believe will ultimately determine the Democratic nomination. More»

Post-debate numbers show senator surging ahead in Granite State

(NEWSER) - In the race for New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton has shot ahead of her Democratic opponents, opening a 14-point lead over Barack Obama since the June 3 debate. With the primary 7 months away, Clinton is overwhelmingly considered the strongest leader, thumping a list of rivals that includes Al Gore. And there's a new name on the radar: Bill Richardson. More»

It's nearly even after Round One, and Obama's made some unexpected friends

(NEWSER) - Barack topped Hill in the primary fundraising race, figures released yesterday showed, and New York mag knows why: Obama has not only won over some key Clinton-family loyalists, but culled a new generation of fortysomething donors with ample assets and Rolodexes to match. The result is Obama's $24.8 million primary war chest, which bests Hillary's by nearly $6 million. More»

Democrats top Republican donors for the first time in 30 years

(NEWSER) - Democratic presidential hopefuls have outperformed their GOP rivals at raising primary cash for the first time since 1976. In the first quarter the score was $79 mil to $51 mil, which seems portentous: Bob Dole's campaign manager confesses to the Times that the Dems "seem to have a lot more hunger for the White House right now than we do." More»