Clinton beats Obama in Kentucky

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton captured the first of two Democratic nominating tests in Kentucky on Tuesday, U.S. media projected, but rival Barack Obama was favoured to win Oregon later in the evening and reach a major milestone in the race.

Clinton had been a heavy favourite in Kentucky, a bastion of the white working class voters who have been her biggest supporters. But the results there and in Oregon will give Obama a majority of pledged delegates won in the lengthy state-by-state fight with Clinton.

He hopes that landmark will signal the beginning of the end of their gruelling Democratic race to contest November's presidential election against Republican John McCain.

Obama, an Illinois senator, could still be about 50 delegates short of the 2,026 needed to win the nomination at the Democratic convention in August, but he hopes the milestone will send more undecided superdelegates -- party officials who can back any candidate -- flooding his way.

Obama contends those undecided superdelegates, who have been trending his way heavily in recent weeks, should support him because he won the most delegates in state voting.

Clinton, who has ignored Obama's almost unassailable lead in delegates for weeks and shrugged off calls to quit the race before the last of the primary elections on June 3, has vowed to keep campaigning.

She says superdelegates should reconsider their decisions because she would be a stronger foe for McCain, an Arizona senator. Her victories in big states like Pennsylvania and Ohio gave her a broader base of support than Obama, she said.

Oregon's balloting ends at 8 p.m. PDT/11 p.m. EDT (4 a.m. British time on Wednesday) Results are expected shortly after.