WP: Kerry Emerges as Big Winner (link- 5 of 7 states)

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Kerry Emerges as Big Winner
Lieberman Quits Race; Edwards Energized by S.C. Win

By William Branigin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 3, 2004; 11:29 PM

Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts emerged as the big winner in today's Democratic presidential contests, winning five of the seven states holding primaries or caucuses. But Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina appeared to energize his campaign with his first victory -- in South Carolina -- and retired Army Gen. Wesley K. Clark was locked in an extremely tight race with Edwards in Oklahoma.

Kerry decisively won the contests in Missouri, Arizona, Delaware, North Dakota and New Mexico, according to partial returns and television exit polls. The victories allowed Kerry to retain his position as the front-runner in the race for the Democrats' presidential nomination, and they helped further winnow the seven-man field as Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut dropped out of the campaign.

In Oklahoma, with 99 percent of precincts reporting, Clark was leading Edwards by fewer than 1,300 votes, with Kerry running third. It was the first strong showing by the retired four-star general and former NATO supreme commander -- and one that supporters, including his son, said his campaign needed to remain viable.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8547-2004Feb3.html