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Barack Obama appears certain to claim the majority of delegates

Barack Obama has stepped to the brink of victory in the Democratic presidential race, defeating Hillary Clinton in the Oregon primary and moving to within 100 delegates of the total needed to claim the prize at the party convention this summer.

"You have put us within reach of the Democratic nomination," he told cheering supporters in Iowa, the state that launched him on his improbable path to victory last January.

With about 30% of the votes counted in Oregon's unique vote-by-mail primary, Mr Obama was gaining a 60% share to 40% for Mrs Clinton.

Earlier, Mr Obama had lost Kentucky to Mrs Clinton by a lopsided margin of 65% to 35%.

Mr Obama said the night's contests would give him a majority of the delegates elected in all 56 primaries and caucuses combined -- as distinct from nearly 800 superdelegates, party leaders and elected officials who hold the balance of power at the convention.

"We still have work to do in the remaining states, where we will compete for every delegate available," he said. "But tonight, I want to thank you for everything you have done to take us this far - further than anyone predicted, expected or even believed possible."

Mr Obama has already turned his attention to the general election campaign against Republican John McCain. Democratic party officials said discussions were under way to send Paul Tewes, a top Obama campaign aide, to the Democratic National Committee to oversee operations for the fall campaign.

Mr Obama lavished praise on Mrs Clinton, and accused Mr McCain of a campaign run by lobbyists.

Mrs Clinton, the one-time front-runner in the race, vowed to carry on her campaign through the last primary contests on June 3, telling cheering supporters in Louisville that this "is one of the closest races for a party's nomination in modern history".

Even so, she commended Mr Obama as well as his supporters, and said whatever their differences "we do see eye to eye when it comes to uniting our party and electing a Democratic president this (autumn)."