By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent
MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - Democrats in Wisconsin and Hawaiimake their choices on Tuesday in a heated presidential battle,with Hillary Clinton hoping to snap Barack Obama's winningstreak ahead of big contests in March.
Public opinion polls show Obama and Clinton in a tight racein Wisconsin, where Obama aims to extend his string of eightstraight victories in Democratic nominating contests. Obama, aHawaii native, is a heavy favourite in that state.
Up for grabs in the two states are a combined 94 delegatesto the August convention that selects the Democraticpresidential nominee in November's election. Obama has a slightlead in pledged delegates won in state presidential contests.
Obama said on NBC's "Today" show he was confident about hischances in Wisconsin.
"We feel good about the campaigning we've done there. Butyou never take it for granted. Remember New Hampshire," Obamasaid, referring to his surprise loss to Clinton just five daysafter a breakthrough win in Iowa.
Turnout was heavy in some locations despite sub-freezingtemperatures in Wisconsin, where voting ends at 8 p.m. CST (2a.m. British time on Wednesday). Democrats open their caucusesfor presidential preference voting in Hawaii at 7 p.m. HST (5a.m. British time on Wednesday).
Republicans also hold a primary in Wisconsin, withfront-runner John McCain looking to continue his march to thenomination. McCain, an Arizona senator, has a huge andessentially insurmountable lead in delegates over his lastremaining major rival, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
"My friends we want to win today," McCain told a rally ofabout 150 supporters in Milwaukee. "With your help today wewill take another step."
In the Democratic race, Obama and Clinton already haveturned their attention to March 4 contests in two of thebiggest states, Ohio and Texas, which have a rich lode of 334convention delegates at stake.
DEMOCRATS LOOK AHEAD
Clinton is the early favourite in both, although one publicopinion poll in Texas on Monday showed the race in astatistical dead heat. Clinton headed to Ohio on Monday night.Obama travelled to Texas on Tuesday.
The pair's hard-fought nominating duel featured a sharpexchange on Monday over Obama's uncredited use of speech linesfrom a friend and ally, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick. Obamasaid he should have credited Patrick but dismissed thecontroversy as no big deal.
But Clinton said the incident cast doubt on theauthenticity of Obama's rhetoric -- one of the Illinoissenator's biggest selling points.
"If your whole candidacy is about words, they should beyour own words. That's what I think," Clinton, a New Yorksenator and former first lady, told reporters late on Monday.
At a campaign appearance in Parma, Ohio, on Tuesday,Clinton kept up her argument that she offered real solutionswhile Obama offered rhetoric.
"That's what this election should really be about. Itshouldn't be about speeches, it should be about solutions,"Clinton said.
Public opinion polls offered mixed results ahead of theWisconsin vote, with most showing a slight lead for Obama. Bothcamps tried to lower expectations.
Obama campaign manager David Plouffe noted Wisconsin has alarge population of the blue-collar workers and rural voterswho have been a big part of Clinton's constituency, and few ofthe black voters who have overwhelmingly supported Obama.
The primary also is an open contest allowing participationby Republicans and independents, not the small, closed caucusstates where Obama has performed well.
"By their own definition, this should be very friendlyterrain for them," Plouffe told reporters. "We think this isgoing to be a real competitive contest."
Republicans in Washington state also hold a primary, whichis the second half of their two-tiered nominating contest. Thestate's Republicans held a caucus on February 9, won narrowlyby McCain.
The voting ends for Washington Republicans at 8 p.m. PST (4a.m. British time on Wednesday).
(Additional reporting by Caren Bohan and Jason Szep;Editing by David Wiessler)
(To read more about the U.S. political campaign, visitReuters "Tales from the Trail: 2008" online athttp://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/)
