200811052256 | Results pour in as US polls indicate significant wins for Barack Obama.

Results pour in as US polls indicate significant wins for Barack Obama.

barack_obama_ecstatic_on_winning_in_iowa_caucuses_-usa_2.jpg Projections indicate Barack Obama has taken the key state of Pennsylvania - one of John McCain's main targets. As expected, Democrat Mr Obama also took Illinois and Vermont, among others. Several states are reporting "unprecedented turnout".

The Democrats made an early gain in the Senate race, with Mark Warner, in Virginia, taking a formerly Republican seat.
Exit polls suggest the economy was the major deciding factor for six out of 10 voters. Nine out of 10 said the candidates' race was not important to their vote, the Associated Press reported. Almost as many said age did not matter.

All of the early results went as expected, and followed the same pattern as in 2004.
Several key states are reporting a heavy turnout. A total of 130 million Americans are expected to vote.

If that figure is confirmed, turnout will be higher than for any election since 1960. And all that is expected to favour Obama.