Recent campaign expenditure reports show that both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have spent a combined $110 million vying for the Democratic nomination.  Obama alone is near $70 million as compared to Kerry’s $20 million in 2004, and is outpacing Clinton 2-1 in television spots in the key states of North Carolina and Indiana, which will hold primaries on May 6.  Obama already stands to outdo Clinton in North Carolina, which has significant numbers of liberal voters in specific enclaves, and a large black population.  Areas around Raleigh have seen significant growth in the last decade as younger voters have moved into the state seeking jobs in the “research triangle” region that focuses on the high-tech and bioscience sectors.

Indiana, although politically dominated by Democrats, is fairly conservative and has a long history as a “red state” in Presidential general elections, which could play in favor of Clinton.  Her convincing win in Pennsylvania shows that she is still relevant in the eyes of conservative Democrats who haven’t gone over to the Obama camp.  Indiana could either reinforce this, or be a coup for Obama if he can garner more of the traditionalists in the party.  An Obama win in NC and Clinton taking Indiana would allow Hillary to hang on, but barely.