Reported by: Tom McKee
Photographed by: Tyson Thorp
Web produced by: Neil Relyea
A brief, but loud cheer was heard coming from the ballroom of the Louisville Marriott Hotel Tuesday evening.
That was when the polls closed in Western Kentucky and broadcast networks declared that, as expected, Hillary Clinton had won the Kentucky Primary over Barack Obama.
Clinton supporters have started to gravitate toward the room where the New York Senator is expected to speak in a few hours.
Her speech is likely to focus on her determination to stay in the race until all the primary elections come to an end June 3.
It's a small venue with two sets of bleachers set up at a right angle and a podium set against the backdrop of a huge sign reading "hillaryclinton.com."
A small area to the left of the stage is reserved for VIPs, such as Cincinnati attorney Stan Chesley, who has been a supporter of both Bill and Hillary Clinton for years.
Other space has been reserved for several hundred Clinton backers right in front of the stage.
With the projected victory in Kentucky, Clinton gains 51-delegates for the Democratic presidential nomination.
However, that's offset by the 52-delegates Barack Obama is expected to win in Oregon.
The race is still very close with Clinton's campaign managers say she's ahead in the popular vote – if Florida and Michigan's totals are added in.
She's shown strength in bellweather states like Ohio, Pennsylvania and California.
Obama claims the lead in total delegates and the edge in the number of superdelegates pledged to his candidacy.
He's been acting as if he already has the nomination.
In fact, he's in Iowa Tuesday night, the site of his first caucus victory earlier this year.
