MONTPELIER, Vt.—Barack Obama easily defeated Hillary Rodham Clinton to win the Vermont Democratic primary on Tuesday, tapping into a desire for change among war-weary voters for his 12th consecutive victory in primaries and caucuses.
Obama led 60 percent to 38 percent, with 86 percent of the state's precincts reporting.
Exit polls found that the Illinois senator cut into every part of Clinton's traditional base of supporters, including women, older voters and the working-class.
On the Republican side, John McCain easily defeated former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. With 84 percent of the vote counted, McCain had 72 percent compared with 14 percent for Huckabeee.
Obama won more than half of women and three of five voters who earned $50,000 a year or less, according to exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks. Clinton won only about two of five voters 65 and older.
The war in Iraq proved a key issue: Seven of 10 voters who thought the Iraq war was the most important issue facing the country voted for Obama.
Vermont is the only state so far this year to rate the war so high. In every other Democratic primary, significantly more voters have said the economy was the important issue facing the country, the exit polls said.
"I like his message," said Obama voter Tanya Morehouse, 37, of Montpelier. "And I think the message of change is a good one, given the lack of leadership we've had in the White House."
Dozens of cheering Obama supporters gathered for a victory party at a South Burlington nightclub. Among them: James Chomey, 63, a real estate salesman who drove eight hours from Toronto to go door-to-door for Obama, getting out the vote in Burlington.
"This primary election has captivated me and Canadians in general," Chomey said.
The same was true south of the border.
"I can't remember when I've seen such enthusiasm for a candidate across the board, from young people to the elderly," said Chuck Ross, of Hinesburg, a Vermont superdelegate supporting Obama.
Clinton gained momentum in the campaign's last moments, taking a slight majority voters who made up their mind in the last three days. But four of five voters made up their minds earlier, and they overwhelmingly supported Obama.
"It's disappointing, but not surprising," said former Gov. Madeleine Kunin, a co-chair of Clinton's Vermont campaign. "We knew from the start that the Obama people had a long-term campaign effort here. We swung into action two weeks ago."
For the first time in recent memory, the state's primary -- held the same day as primaries in Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island -- was expected to play a role in the selection of the Democratic candidate.
"Vermont used to be a beauty pageant," said Obama voter John Sherman, 46, of Hartford. "It used to be decided by the time it got here but now, tiny little Vermont has a say in the outcome."
McCain and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee were on the ballot as well, but most of the attention was focused on the Obama-Clinton race.
"I always liked him," said Steve Martin, 58, of Middlesex, who voted for McCain. "I think he'd be strong on most issues. I'm concerned about the economy, and I think he'd be strong on the economy."
On a rainy, slushy day, Vermonters flocked to the polls.
"We have heard from folks in many places across the state there was the predictable high turnout that was significantly on the Democratic side," said Secretary of State Deb Markowitz. "It went surprisingly smoothly."
Thousands of new voter registrations were received just before last week's deadline and Markowitz said she hoped turnout would exceed the state's all-time primary record of 39 percent, set in 1980.
Vermont has about 400,000 registered voters.
"I'm hoping that we beat the 39 percent number, it'd be great if we got up to 50 percent," Markowitz said.
Given a choice of the war, economy and health care, about four in 10 voters said the war was the most important issue facing the country. About the same amount that said the economy was most important.
Vermont voters continued their liberal and independent streaks. About two-thirds of voters in the Democratic primary described themselves as liberal; about two in five identified themselves as independents, the polls said.
Clinton and Obama supporters campaigned heavily in Vermont in the weeks leading up to the primary, airing television and radio ads and mounting get-out-the-vote drives in hopes of winning the 15 convention delegates at stake Tuesday. Vermont has another eight superdelegates.
Rich Rivers, 34, of Waterbury Center, said he did a lot of research on the candidates before deciding on Obama. "I think the country needs a lot of change. We need somebody who is willing, maybe, to stand up to some of the powers that be," he said. "My instinct was to get somebody younger in office."
Paul Alexander, 46, of Waterbury Center, said he voted for Clinton. "I just think she's got a lot more experience. Nothing against Barack, but I think just being a more senior senator I think she's more up on the issues. I'm not getting caught up in the rhetoric, if you will, of Barack."
Kristen Murphy, 26, of Hartford, said she was voting for Republican John McCain because of his stance on the war in Iraq and expertise with the economy.
"I feel strongly that he has a good chance of pulling us out of the war because he was a prisoner of war and knows what war is like. Hillary seems too fake to me," Murphy said. "The war is a big issue for me but I'm about to build a house and keeping the economy good and making sure we don't slump down as a country is the most important part."
