Analysts' view on Super Tuesday results

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Hillary Clinton addresses supporters at her "Super Tuesday" primary election night rally in New York, February 5, 2008. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama and rival Hillary Clinton battled to a draw on "Super Tuesday" and John McCain seized command of the Republican race in presidential nominating contests in 24 U.S. states.

In their hard-fought duel for the Democratic nomination, Obama won 12 states and Clinton took eight. Clinton's wins included the prizes of California and New York on the biggest day of U.S. presidential voting ahead of November's election.

McCain won nine states, including victories in California and big Northeastern states to take a daunting lead in the Republican race.

Republican rivals Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee kept their hopes alive and vowed to fight on. Romney won six states and Huckabee won five.

STEPHEN MASSOCCA, CO-CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF INVESTMENT BANK

PACIFIC GROWTH EQUITIES IN SAN FRANCISCO

The results show the fight between Obama and Clinton will likely go on for months and there could actually be a real convention fight -- the first one since Hubert Humphrey won the Democratic nomination in 1968.

GEORGES YARED, CHIEF INVESTMENT STRATEGIST AT YARED

INVESTMENT RESEARCH IN MINNEAPOLIS

The big surprise of the evening is that Romney -- who has billed himself as the economic candidate with the business pedigree -- has failed to get traction in the South and Missouri. I don't think the market will weigh in one way or another to the results, because they are (only) primaries.

ARTURO VARGAS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NALEO EDUCATIONAL

FUND, LOS ANGELES

It will take several months to figure out how many Hispanics voted. But anecdotally, there were very long lines in Latino precincts. I think there was a real affinity with Clinton. Senator Clinton had terrific name recognition. She locked in the Latino political infrastructure early, getting the support of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and California House Speaker Fabian Nunez. You didn't really see that matched by Senator Obama.

RAPHAEL SONENSHEIN, PROFESSOR OF POLITICS AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON

I think its fairly significant because the conventional wisdom was that Hillary was sort of on the ropes. There were momentum arguments and it did seem like she was playing defense in California. These results show she was in a very strong position. Both Clinton and Obama had a great day, but given the expectation of momentum the Hillary camp has slightly more reason to be happy

TAMAKO NISHIKAWA, SENIOR ECONOMIST, JAPAN'S MIZUHO RESEARCH

INSTITUTE

In the past, Clinton used to emphasize the importance of relations with China and India, rather than Japan. But she has softened that tone somewhat recently. Obama's stance on Asia is less clear, so it's hard to compare their policies on Asia. Clinton, however, might be a tougher negotiator for Asia than Obama given that she has been openly calling for reviewing FTA (Free Trade Agreement) deals. Economic policy may shift more toward protectionism regardless of who becomes next president.

TAKAHIDE KIUCHI, SENIOR ECONOMIST, NOMURA SECURITIES IN

TOKYO

If Clinton ends up winning the nomination ... That will be negative to Japan and Asia as they will come under pressure of protectionism under Democrats. Revaluation pressure on the Chinese yuan will mount to rectify trade imbalances, while Japanese auto exports may also be targeted. If this leads to a weak dollar and a strong yen, Japanese stock prices will tumble. A dollar fall could also prevent capital inflow to the U.S. financial markets, which will have a negative impact on global markets.

TIM CONDON, HEAD OF ASIA RESEARCH AT ING, SINGAPORE

I'm not sure it makes a great deal of difference actually if it's McCain, Clinton or Obama that there is going be a stark contrast in terms of economic policy. I think probably Democrats are generally more protectionist and more prone to China-bashing. Democrats tend to be more prone to talking about trade partners to do more. They will probably be the bigger ones calling for more aggressive yuan revaluation, while Republicans just continue the current policies.

GARRY SOUTH, CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL CONSULTANT

"It's very hard to beat the Clinton brand here ... Bill Clinton carried the state overwhelmingly twice... Clinton tended to this state while he was in Washington as if it were his own personal vineyard."

BILL WHALEN, A HOOVER INSTITUTION RESEARCH FELLOW AND

FORMER AIDE TO REPUBLICAN FORMER CAFORNIA GOV. PETE WILSON

It's a bad night to be Mitt Romney ... He doesn't have a signature win and he really needed California and it didn't come through. It appears John McCain pretty much has the nomination sown up but he needs to find a way to generate enthusiasm.

FROM LOUIS DESIPIO, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE

California just kind of tops what's happening everywhere else. Senator McCain seems to be on the road to the nomination. He won the big states, he won the small states. California Republicans are different from Republicans elsewhere in the country. There are many fewer evangelicals and Californians probably respond to the more inclusive tone of the McCain campaign.

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