INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Barack Obama is hoping his neighbors in
Indiana will vote for him.

The Illinois senator says the proximity of the two states should give him a better chance than he had in Pennsylvania, where Hillary Clinton beat him convincingly last week. But conventional wisdom holds that Indiana is a Rust Belt rematch, giving Clinton an advantage following her victories in other states with large numbers of blue-collar voters.

The Indiana primary election is on Tuesday. So is North Carolina's.

Clinton has the support of Senator Evan Bayh. It is home to a
significant blue-collar population, and a gubernatorial primary with a woman on the ballot may help raise turnout among female voters who prefer the former first lady.

But about 20% of the Indiana voters live within reach of Chicago television stations, meaning that thousands have been watching bama in their homes since his 2004 Senate election. And the part of Indiana nearest Chicago has large numbers of blacks, likely to support Obama overwhelmingly.

Obama will spliit campaign time in Indiana and North Carolina this weekend. Clinton plans to blitz Indiana with her campaign with help from such supporters as Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, actors Ted Danson and Sean Astin, as well as former Democratic leader Dickk Gephardt.

Gephardt will be in Fort Wayne tomorrow. Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton will stop in Angola, Kendallville, Columbia City, Warsaw and other cities this weekend.

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