DES MOINES, Iowa — Democrat Barack Obama expanded his fragile lead in delegates over rival Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday, picking up nine delegates in Iowa.
More than half the 14 delegates allocated to John Edwards on the basis of caucus-night projections Jan. 3 switched Saturday to Obama.
Iowa Democratic Party officials said that with all the delegates picked, Obama claimed 52 percent elected at county conventions Saturday, compared with 32 percent for Clinton. Some delegates picked Saturday were sticking with Edwards, even though he’s dropped from the race.
Also Saturday, California’s Democratic Party finalized the delegate counts from its Feb. 5 primary. Clinton picked up two more pledged delegates; Obama gained five.
Counting Saturday’s new figures from Iowa and California, an Associated Press delegate tally showed Obama with 1,617 delegates and Clinton with 1,498. It takes 2,025 to secure the nomination.
The Associated Press
