Under the Texas Democratic Party's complex delegate selection plan, Texas voters participated in both a primary and caucuses last week.

CNN: Obama wins Mississippi primary; Texas caucus win estimated

Making matters more difficult for the challenger was Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's selection of North Carolina Sen.

CNN: Incumbent Easley fends off GOP

All this came as the Tories attempted to prove that - unlike the Labour party, which is trying to block Ken Livingstone - its selection process is the most democratic of the lot.

BBC: Tory pantomime will leave scars

While the Kerry campaign was harshly critical of the possible selection of Raimondo, a Senate Democratic colleague of Kerry's offered high praise.

CNN: Manufacturing czar nominee withdraws

"Even if we are confronted with a problem, we must remember that the selection of a leader must be a democratic process, " Information Minister and government spokesman Mike Mulongoti said.

BBC: Zambia leader health probe urged

Margaret Beckett, the Labour leader in the House of Commons, also dismissed the claims as "quite outrageous", adding the selection of candidates was carried out by a democratic process agreed by the party.

BBC: Stop parachuting candidates, says MP