Candidates on equal footing in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS, March 25 (UPI) -- Indiana is one of those few states Democratic analysts say offers something unusual during the primary season: no clear-cut favorite.

Illinois is Sen. Barack Obama's home base, while Ohio was dominated by Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York. But Indiana, with 72 delegates up for grabs May 6, offers both candidates somewhat equal footing, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

"If I had to pick -- and I'm not usually shy about saying who's going to win -- I couldn't tell you today," U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., who hasn't committed to either candidate, told the Post.

"We think he has some advantages starting out," said U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., a Clinton supporter, referring to Obama. "Twenty percent of Indiana households watch Chicago TV. The city of East Chicago is actually in Indiana."

Demographics and similarities to Ohio, where Clinton won handily on March 4, suggest she may have an advantage in the Hoosier state.

"Clinton would probably have an upper hand," Jay Howser, a party campaign manager not aligned with either candidate, said to the Post. "Although there's probably a heavy base of African-American support for Obama in Indianapolis, it's a state that responds well to Clinton."