Clinton Wins Ohio, Texas

   COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton has finally had a confetti night.

   The Democratic presidential hopeful is the winner of the Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island primaries, putting a dent in Barack Obama’s delegate lead.

   Clinton told supporters in Columbus, Ohio: “We’re going strong and we’re going all the way.”

   Clinton’s victories follow 12 straight defeats to Obama. The New York senator broke her rival’s winning streak by taking Rhode Island after Obama was declared the winner in Vermont.

   Confetti rained down on Clinton as she took the stage at her rally. She told the crowd, “This nation’s coming back and so is this campaign.”

   Clinton referenced Ohio’s history of siding with the eventual presidential election winner, telling supporters: “You know what they say. As Ohio goes, so goes the nation.”

   Texas isn’t done yet. Clinton and Obama are competing for more delegate support in caucuses in Texas that began 15 minutes after the state’s primary polls closed.

   Clinton says people will have to decide the Democratic presidential nominee first, but she’s hinted at a ticket with Barack Obama.

   During a series of morning talk show appearances, Clinton said a shared ticket “may be where this is headed” once a nominee is determined.

   She says Ohioans clearly think she should be the top choice.

   Clinton told NBC’s “Today” show that voters are starting to ask “hard questions” about Obama.

   Obama also made the TV rounds, playing down primary losses to Clinton in the battleground states of Texas and Ohio. Obama’s take is that he still leads in the all-important delegate count.

   Both Democrats predict they will win their party’s nomination and say they have the credentials to go head to head with Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain.