BOSTON, March 4 (Reuters) - Illinois Sen. Barack Obama won the Vermont Democratic contest to pick a U.S. presidential candidate on Tuesday, adding to his lead over rival Hillary Clinton in the race to be the party’s nominee for the November general election, media projected.

Obama has won a string of state contests over the past month, catapulting him into the lead in the race for delegates to the party’s nominating contest this summer.

Clinton, the New York senator and former first lady, needs victories in the delegate-rich states of Texas and Ohio on Tuesday in order to catch up, analysts say.