Santiago, April 23: Hillary Clinton is in a position to withstand growing calls within her party to quit the race after winning the Pennsylvania Democratic primary last night and keeping her presidential hopes alive.

“Some counted me out and said to drop out,” the New York Senator told her supporters last night as they cheered her after her 10-point win.

“The American people don’t quit. And they deserve a President who doesn’t quit, either,” Clinton said in a victory rally.

Her victory in Pennsylvania will strengthen the argument within her party that by winning the big states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Texas and California, she has the advantage over Obama in the November presidential poll.

The big states hold the key to electing the President in November because of the composition of the electoral college.

The former First Lady hit upon that theme immediately after her Pennsylvania victory when she told CNN: “The fair question is if you can’t win the states we have to win in the fall maybe that says something about your general election appeal.”

Clinton’s victory in Pennsylvania was along predictable lines.

She secured roughly 65 per cent of the votes from white women and nearly 55 per cent of votes from white men.

Although her rival Barack Obama had spent double that of Clinton in the campaign in its final days, the Illinois Senator was unable to make inroads into her support base.

Obama won nine out of 10 black votes, according to statistical analysis.

After the tough and long fight for Pennsylvania, however, little has changed in the contest for the Democratic nomination.

Last night’s outcome has not eliminated the nagging question whether a black man can overcome fundamental prejudices in American society and be elected head of state.

The Pennsylvania vote showed that Obama was vulnerable to attacks in the general election much more than Clinton, who has already been thoroughly vetted and scrutinised during her long years under the strobelights.

Results of the Pennsylvania primary demonstrated that Obama is yet to increase his appeal among conservative Democrats, including such strong lobbies as gun owners and rural voters.

Clinton’s support among blue-collar workers remains strong.

Yet, she has a tough challenge ahead in states which are yet to hold their Democratic primaries or caucuses, such as Indiana, North Carolina, Oregon, Kentucky, West Virginia and Puerto Rico.

Despite Clinton’s political survival last night, Obama is still the front-runner in the primaries and the New York Senator must convincingly win the remaining states if the euphoria of her Pennsylvania victory is not to evaporate quickly.