Obama may win Texas delegate race

AUSTIN, Texas, March 7 (UPI) -- Sen. Barack Obama could win the most delegates in Texas despite Sen. Hillary Clinton's success in the state's Democratic primary, a report said Friday.

Clinton, D-N.Y., won 65 Texas delegates on March 4, from her presidential primary victory compared to Obama's 61, but early precinct convention returns awarding delegates from caucuses held that evening -- the so-called "Texas Two-Step" -- could give Obama a 98-95 lead in total delegates, the Dallas Morning News reported.

The potentially crucial switch reportedly may take months to determine due to the slow pace of delegate allocation in Texas.

"The final allocation of the 67 delegates that the presidential candidates are vying for won't be determined" until the state Democratic Convention in June, Texas Democratic Party spokesman Hector Nieto said.

Delegate votes at the national Democratic Convention in Denver in August will ultimately decide which candidate becomes the party's nominee, the newspaper said.