court (TRY TO GET) , showing , margin

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Obama Courts Mississippi as It Goes to Polls

By JEFF ZELENY and KATHARINE Q. SEELYE 6:31 PM ET

Senator Barack Obama was hoping to repeat his showing in other Southern states, which he has carried by double-digit margins. Above, voters in Meridian, Miss.

court (TRY TO GET) Show phonetics
verb [T]
to try to get something, especially attention or support from other people:
She courts publicity by inviting journalists to extravagant parties.

showing Show phonetics
noun [C usually singular]
the quality of someone's performance in a competitive activity:
She managed a good/strong showing in the world championship, but was knocked out in the semi-final.
She had a dismal showing in the opinion polls.

margin (DIFFERENCE) Show phonetics
noun [C]
the amount by which one thing is different from another:
The Senate approved the use of military force by a margin of 52 votes to 47.
The poll shows that the government is leading by the narrowest of margins.

(from Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)