The Vice-President Al Gore and Governor George Bush of Texas seemed certain to become the Democratic and Republican candidates for this year's presidential election as the first results of the Super Tuesday primaries came in early this morning.
Mr Bush scored early wins over Senator John McCain of Arizona in Georgia, Ohio, Maryland, Missouri and Maine. Mr Gore beat former New Jersey senator Mr Bill Bradley, in the first six states where results were announced - Georgia, Vermont, Ohio, Maryland, Massachusetts and Missouri, which is Mr Bradley's home state. Exit polls across the US predicted a disastrous night for Mr Bradley with a possible loss in all 15 states with Democratic primaries.
Mr Bush was having a tougher fight with Mr McCain especially in New York and the New England states in the north-east where Mr McCain won Vermont, Connecticut and Massachusetts but lost Maine. The loss of Ohio was a big blow for Mr McCain, who had been hoping to repeat his win of two weeks ago in neighbouring Michigan.
In Californian exit polls, Mr McCain trailed Mr Bush in the election for registered Republicans, but he was also behind him in the so-called "beauty contest" to decide who is the most popular candidate among voters from both parties and independents. Mr McCain badly needs to win this popular vote to maintain credibility.
In the Democratic primaries, 1,315 delegates were at stake in yesterday's voting. This amounted to 63 per cent of the 2,168 delegates needed for a majority.
Mr Bush returned to his governor's mansion in Austin, Texas, confident he would repulse the McCain challenge in most of the 13 states where Republican primaries were held. At stake were 613 delegates or 59 per cent of the number needed for nomination.
Mr Bush tried to play down the bitterness which marked the later stages of his and Mr McCain's campaigns as they accused each other of unfair methods. Mr McCain was especially incensed at TV ads in New York accusing him of opposing breast cancer research and anti-pollution legislation. Mr Bush is still smarting from charges that he is anti-Catholic because he campaigned in the Bob Jones University in South Carolina which criticises Catholicism as an erroneous cult.