For Democrats, more to come after Super Tuesday

By Jeff Mason - Analysis

CHICAGO (Reuters) - This may take a while. That was the message for Democrats after Tuesday's multi-state nominating contest -- once expected to anoint a candidate for the U.S. presidential election -- ended up in a virtual tie between rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

After scrambling to visit some 22 states in less than two weeks, the candidates -- historic because of her gender and his race -- now face a slew of new state contests in what is likely to be a prolonged fight to win their party's nomination.

"It's going to be a bloodbath," said John Geer, professor of political science at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

Bloody or not, the protracted battle means both presidential hopefuls have more time to make their cases for the chance to fight the eventual Republican candidate in the November election.

Obama, an Illinois senator who has repeatedly argued that Clinton's fame as the wife of former President Bill Clinton gives her an advantage, will use the time to introduce himself to more voters and build on the momentum that has fueled his candidacy in recent weeks.

"The longer this goes on, the more he becomes better known," David Gergen, a former advisor to Republican and Democratic presidents, told Reuters.

"The more he's known, the better he does."

Clinton, he said, should use the time to hone her own message around one motivating theme.