Democrat Barack Obama and rival Hillary Clinton battled to a draw on "Super Tuesday" and John McCain seized command of the Republican race in presidential nominating contests in 24 U.S. states.

In their hard-fought duel for the Democratic nomination, Obama won 12 states and Clinton took eight. Clinton's wins included the key prizes of California and New York on the biggest day of U.S. presidential voting ahead of November's election.

"There is one thing on this February night that we do not need the final results to know: Our time has come," Obama told cheering supporters in Chicago. "Our movement is real, and change is coming to America."

McCain won nine states, including key victories in California and big Northeastern states to take a daunting lead in the Republican race. He captured a huge haul of delegates who select the party's presidential nominee, in part because many of the 21 Republican contests were winner-take-all.

Republican rivals Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee kept their hopes alive and vowed to fight on. Romney won six states and Huckabee won five.

"Tonight, I think we must get used to the idea that we are the Republican Party frontrunner for the nomination," McCain told supporters in Scottsdale, Arizona. "And I don't really mind it one bit."

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