Nat Ehrlich, a research specialist with MSU’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, said the Democratic race is a long way from being decided.

He also said former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards’ withdrawal from the race and a multidemographic message has helped Obama keep pace with Clinton.

“I think Obama generally appeals to a broader range of voters,” he said. “He is appealing to Republicans, his white support is equal to everybody else’s, he is the one candidate who is getting even support from men and women.”

Clinton’s 823 overall delegates slightly top Obama’s 731 delegates. The candidates need 2,025 delegates to clinch the party’s nomination.

McCain distanced himself from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee by snatching 504 delegates Tuesday, according to CNN.

Despite McCain’s stranglehold on the Republican field, winning the national election will still be difficult — but not as difficult as a year ago, said Matt Grossmann, an MSU assistant political science professor.

“At the beginning of the cycle, if you asked if people would rather have a Democratic or Republican president, it was 2-to-1 in favor of Democrats,” he said. “Republicans started being down in general feelings toward the party, but McCain is more liked than most Republicans.”

Grossmann said next month’s Texas and Ohio primaries could set apart the Democratic candidates. Ehrlich said he expects Obama to begin distancing himself from Clinton with an aggressive approach.

“It’s a risky strategy, but he’s likely to do that because when people say he’s not experienced, they forget he had quite a history in Chicago politics,” he said. “He’s not a babe in the woods. He knows how to fight.”

Ehrlich said Obama’s punches would be enough to knock out McCain in the November election because of Obama’s wide appeal and message of change.

“It’s all up to who the Democrats pick,” he said. “If they pick Obama, he will win fairly easily. If they pick Clinton, it’s a toss-up.”

Philosophy senior Athena Murray said she is pleased McCain succeeded Tuesday, even though she typically doesn’t identify with the Republican Party.

“I’m glad McCain is the front-runner, even though I’m a Democrat, because he’s more moderate,” she said.

American studies junior Megan Dwyer said she wasn’t surprised by Obama’s performance, but she also wasn’t pleased.

“I’m a big Clinton supporter, so I was hoping she would have done a little better,” she said.

Staff writers Abby Lubbers and Justin Harris contributed to this report.