Obama holds lead in Illinois

CHICAGO, March 16 (UPI) -- Illinois State Sen. Barack Obama took an early lead in the race for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination in Illinois.

With 20 percent of the primary vote counted, Obama had 62 percent and state comptroller Dan Hynes 18 percent.

Obama was winning 62 percent of the vote in Chicago with a near record turnout in predominately African-American precincts.

Millionaire investor and political novice Blair Hull, who spent nearly $30 million of his personal fortune on his campaign, trailed with 7 percent. Hull led in the polls just three weeks ago, but his campaign never recovered from mishandled disclosures about his 1998 divorce.

Front-runner Jack Ryan led the race for the Republican Senate nomination with 34 percent of the vote. State Sen. Steve Rauschenberger had 26 percent and ice cream company owner Jim Oberweis 24 percent.

The presidential race was anti-climatic, with presumptive Democratic nominee John Kerry winning with 73.4 percent of early returns to clinch the necessary delegates needed for the nomination.