Barack Obama won the Oregon primary this morning, a victory he hailed as putting him "within reach of the Democratic nomination" even though his rival Hillary Clinton vowed to fight on into June.

Mrs Clinton scored a landslide 35-point win in Kentucky but Mr Obama's decisive double-digit victory in Oregon meant that he passed the all-important milestone of a majority of the pledged delegates, those allocated by votes.

With only contests in Puerto Rico, Montana and South Dakota left, where 86 delegates are at stake, Mr Obama needs just 60 delegates from amongst these and some 200 undeclared super-delegates - the party officials he will need to secure outright final victory.

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This leaves him with the tantalising prospect of being able to secure the nomination on June 3, when Montana and South Dakota go to the polls, rather than having to wait for a back-room deal with super-delegates.

Mr Obama yesterday reported a stunning fundraising total of $31 million in May, compared to $22 million by the former First Lady and just $18 million by John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee.

With the nomination now almost within his grasp, Mr Obama could afford to pay generous tribute to Mrs Clinton, whose disappointed supporters he needs to woo if he is to overcome Mr McCain in November's general election.

"We have had our disagreements during this campaign, but we all admire her courage, her commitment, and her perseverance," he said. "No matter how this primary ends, Senator Clinton has shattered myths and broken barriers and changed the America in which my daughters and yours will come of age."

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