LEAD: Obama wins Mississippi primary for Democratic presidential nomination

WASHINGTON, March 12 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING 2ND GRAF, OBAMA'S QUOTES IN 3RD GRAF)

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama won the Mississippi primary Tuesday, beating New York Sen. Hillary Clinton in a hard-fought battle for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.

With 99 percent of the southern state's precincts reporting, Obama received 60 percent of the vote, compared with 38 percent for Clinton, U.S. media reported.

''What we've tried to do is steadily make sure that in each state we are making the case about the need for change in this country. Obviously the people in Mississippi responded,'' Obama told CNN after his win.

Obama's victory came after his win in the Wyoming caucuses on Saturday. Clinton carried two delegate-rich states, Ohio and Texas, on March 4, regaining tremendous momentum in her bid for the White House.

Prior to Mississippi, Obama's delegate lead was around 100 by all official counts, and his lead in states won was 11. There are six weeks until the next Democratic contest to be held April 22 in Pennsylvania.

A first-time senator, Obama is seeking to become the country's first African-American president. Clinton, a former first lady, is vying to become the first female president.

Arizona Sen. John McCain is the Republican nominee-in-waiting.

This year's White House campaign is the most open contest in more than half a century, with no incumbent president or vice president seeking their party's nomination.

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