The Associated Press called Wesley Clark the winner of the Oklahoma Democratic presidential primary about 11:00 p.m. on Feb. 3.

The election was extremely close, with only about 2,000 votes separating Clark from the second-place finisher, John Edwards.

The AP was able to accurately call the race because of its extensive vote-gathering network. Stringers at election boards in all 77 Oklahoma Counties called in vote totals to data entry clerks at the Oklahoma City AP bureau. The information was compiled into a database that allowed the AP to quickly determine race outcomes.

Clark narrowly defeats Edwards in primary

Democratic presidential hopeful Wesley Clark waves to supporters in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2004, following his victory in the Oklahoma democratic primary. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

By Ron Jenkins

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Retired Gen. Wesley Clark kept his presidential hopes alive with a razor-thin victory over North Carolina Sen. John Edwards Tuesday in Oklahoma's Democratic presidential primary.

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry finished in third place.

Edwards had hoped to grab his second victory in Tuesday's seven state primaries, having won earlier in South Carolina. It was Clark's first primary victory.

Clark defeated Edwards by 1,275 votes out of about 300,000 votes cast. Each had about 30 percent of the vote. Kerry had 27 percent.

"The results are in. We have won. Oklahoma is OK by me," Clark told supporters in Oklahoma City. "I tell you what, as an old soldier from Arkansas, I can't be any prouder of your support in the first election I've ever won."

Clark campaigned in Oklahoma for seven straight days heading into the election and ran well ahead of Edwards in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, the state's largest cities.

"Today across the country, Democrats went to the polls and tonight the people have spoken and the message they sent couldn't be clearer," Clark said. "America wants a higher standards of leadership in Washington.

"No party is more committed to lifting people up than this party, my party, the Democratic party.

"George Bush has had three years to keep our country moving forward. He's moved it in the wrong direction. He's set it back _ three million without jobs, 40 million without health insurance, and an unnecessary war that resulted in a mess in Iraq."

Edwards' strength was in rural area and in traditional Democratic strongholds in southeastern and northeastern Oklahoma.

Clark, Edwards and Kerry were the only candidates who received enough votes to earn Oklahoma delegates. Clark got 15 delegates, Edwards got 13 and Kerry got 12.

"Sen. Edwards had a very strong performance in Oklahoma," said Kim Rubey, his Oklahoma press secretary. "He has the right message and he is the right messenger. On top of our strong win in South Carolina, this gives us strong momentum heading into the final stretch. We're very happy."

Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman finished well back in fourth place. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean finished fifth.

Clark, Edwards and Lieberman made extensive visits to the state in the weeks leading up to the election.

State Election Board secretary Michael Clingman said state law allows for a recount in presidential primary races but said that would be unusual.

In Oklahoma, Democratic presidential candidates win delegates based on the percentage of their vote.

Clark's boost came from liberals and those who most valued a candidate who stands up for what he believes.

Nearly four out of 10 voters, however, came to the polls worried about the economy, and Edwards outpaced Clark in winning about 40 percent of their vote, according to an exit poll conducted for The Associated Press.

Others on the ballot were Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, the Rev. Al Sharpton of New York and Lyndon LaRouche, a perennial candidate. So is Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt, even though he has abandoned his campaign.

In the Republican primary, President Bush won with 90 percent of the vote against a nominal opponent, Los Angeles T-shirt retailer Bill Wyatt.

Kerry was considered not a factor in Oklahoma until his wins in Iowa and New Hampshire sent him surging in the polls. He drew an enthusiastic crowd in one visit to Oklahoma City the Saturday before the election.

Dean was among the leaders in early Oklahoma polls, but faded after Iowa and had not been expected to do well.

Clark camped in Oklahoma on election day, speaking to veterans at the state Capitol and greeting voters at a nearby restaurant in a predominantly black section of town before heading to his campaign headquarters.

In fact Clark, who lives in nearby Arkansas, campaigned in Oklahoma every day after the New Hampshire primary, where he finished third ahead of Edwards.

His efforts paid off as he drew endorsements from several newspapers across the state.

Edwards easily led all Democrats in fund-raising in the state and hoped to overtake his competitors by concentrating on Democratic strongholds in southeastern and northeastern Oklahoma.

He had the support of former University of Oklahoma football coach Barry Switzer, a popular figure in the state.

Lieberman was in an uphill struggle, despite endorsements from top Democratic leaders and a message that seemed tailored to Oklahoma's conservative and moderate Democrats. His backers included U.S. Rep. Brad Carson, Attorney General Drew Edmondson and state Treasurer Robert Butkin.

Democratic Gov. Brad Henry did not endorse anyone before the election.

Oklahoma drew little attention from presidential primary candidates in past elections, but that changed after the state moved its primary from March to a week after the New Hampshire primary.