After all the Super Tuesday hype, trends and speculation, the results are in and neither Democrat emerged as a clear frontrunner.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton beat Sen. Barack Obama in California, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, giving her campaign a boost.

But Obama countered by winning a string of states, including Missouri, in what has been a seesaw race for the Democratic nomination.

The results ensured that the fierce contest for delegates will continue into critical primaries in Texas and Ohio on March 4.

It may even go beyond that if what has become the Democratic party’s tightest race in decades continues along this tack.

Hillary Clinton claimed four of the five big prizes in Super Tuesday’s 22-state bonanza, and also won Arizona, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

Yet Obama won in more places than his New York rival, racking up victories in his home state, Illinois, as well Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota and Utah.

Neither Barack and Michelle Obama, shown above in Chicago last night, or Hillary Clinton, shown in New York, could claim a decisive win Tuesday.

Obama’s narrow win in Missouri came after Clinton appeared on the brink of winning there. The outcome in New Mexico remains unresolved.

In many of the states Clinton won, particularly California and in the Northeast, Barack Obama had been surging in the polls of late.

Hillary Clinton’s ability to hold him off brought a sense of relief, but the likelihood that Clinton would emerge with a big edge in delegates dwindled, and it became obvious that the competition would continue.

The former First Lady appeared before supporters in New York City shortly before the polls closed in California, thanking her supporters for voting “not just to make history, but to remake America.”

Obama, who was in Chicago, congratulated Clinton on her success, but drew a contrast with his rival, saying voters in November deserve a clear choice between the Republican and Democratic nominees.

“This is a choice between going into this election with Republicans and independents already united against us, or going against their nominee with a campaign that has united Americans of all parties, from all backgrounds, from all races, from all religions, around a common purpose,” he said.

“It’s a choice between having a debate with the other party about who has the most experience in Washington, or having one about who is most likely to change Washington, because that’s a debate that we can win.” - Barack Obama