Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton was desperately rallying her supporters yesterday, in the wake of a crushing defeat in a key vote in a US primary school.

On Monday, shortly after recess, the third grade students of Lowesboro Elementary, Iowa, voted 21 to 9 against Senator Clinton's nomination as Democratic candidate.

Correspondents say that while the vote fell short of the Clinton campaign's expectations for the state, it was in line with national polls of the democratic race. A defiant Clinton told supporters "One lousy primary school does not make or break a candidacy".

Exit polls shortly after Monday's fourth period suggest that Clinton's use of negative campaigning tactics against Barrack Obama may have disillusioned key sections of the single female demographic, while a presumptive attitude in the final moments of the weekend's campaigning were widely seen as arrogant among the 8 to 8¾ age group.

Leanne Simms, 8½, said "Hillary is a strong contender with her track record in Congress but she could turn out to be an electoral liability against a Republican candidate".

Others, however, had less prosaic reasons behind their choice. Jake Taylor, also 8½, said "I like Obama because his face is a funny color".