Obama wins Montana, loses South Dakota

WASHINGTON, June 3 (UPI) -- Apparent Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama was projected to win the Montana primary Tuesday, while Hillary Clinton was expected to win South Dakota.

MSNBC reported exit polls indicated Obama won Montana. Clinton won South Dakota with 56 percent of the vote, compared to Obama's 44 percent with 41 percent of precincts reporting, CNN said.

Obama's projected win in Big Sky Country came after several media organizations reported the Illinois senator had the delegates needed to clinch his party's nomination.

Speaking in St. Paul, Minn., Obama praised Clinton in prepared remarks.

"Sen. Hillary Clinton has made history in this campaign not just because she's a woman who has done what no woman has done before, but because she's a leader who inspires millions of Americans with her strength, her courage, and her commitment to the causes that brought us here tonight," Obama said.

For her part, Clinton congratulated Obama for his campaign, but did not concede the race nor discuss the possibility of running as Obama's vice presidential running mate.

"This has been a long campaign, and I will be making no decisions tonight," the New York senator said.