Prosecutors from California's two most prominent cities, who both ran bruising campaigns, were locked in a dead heat Wednesday in their race for attorney general, neither ready to declare victory a day after the polls had closed.

San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris led Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley by fewer than 15,000 votes, or less than a quarter of a percentage point, with all precincts reporting and tens of thousands of provisional and late absentee ballots still to be counted. That being the case, it could be weeks before a winner is determined.

Cooley had a comfortable lead in early returns Tuesday, but Harris chipped away at the margin and had overtaken him by Wednesday.

Cooley had originally scheduled, then canceled, a news conference for Wednesday, presumably to talk about his election victory. Although she pulled ahead Wednesday, Harris wasn't willing to go that far-at least not yet.

"All the movement in this race showed we were surging late and we feel those absentee ballots will be reflective of that late momentum," said Brian Brokaw, a Harris campaign spokesman. "We are incredibly optimistic."

If Harris wins, she would not only cap a Democratic sweep of seven statewide offices, but also would be the first woman and first African-American to be elected the state's top law enforcement officer. It's a position that because of California's size and stature has national influence.

Cooley received the support of many law enforcement organizations and appeared ahead in polls leading up to Tuesday's vote.

However, Harris was aided by a fundraising appearance by President Obama and spent a lot of time on Cooley's Southern California turf, working to gain name recognition.

Apparently it paid off. While Cooley did well in Republican strongholds such as Orange and San Diego counties, as well as rural areas, Harris took Los Angeles County by a 14-point margin. She also trounced her opponent in most counties ringing her home base of San Francisco.

Cooley's spokesman, Kevin Spillane, said although the race was still too close to call he was encouraged that the Los Angeles prosecutor had beaten Harris in 40 of California's 58 counties.

"The race is not going to be decided until certification and it's going to be by a very narrow margin," Spillane said. "Frankly anything can happen."

The two prosecutors took shots at one another in the election's final weeks.

The Republican State Leadership Committee, funded by tobacco, insurance and medical companies, put more than $1 million into a 30-second ad that accused Harris of being unsupportive of the death penalty and featured a video clip of the mother of slain San Francisco police Officer Isaac Espinoza.

Harris didn't seek the execution of Espinoza's killer in 2004, and he is now serving a life term. However, she has maintained she would enforce state law in capital punishment cases if she is elected.

Cooley was criticized for accepting thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from people who were being investigated by his office. He also kept contributions from a Republican fundraiser convicted four years later of federal campaign finance fraud.

Cooley said he properly reported all the gifts and contributions and denied any conflict.

Cooley supports the death penalty and is perceived as tougher on crime, although he's known for his moderate stance toward California's three-strikes law. He's been credited for creating a public corruption unit that recently ensnared leaders of several nondescript suburbs around Los Angeles. They have been charged with such crimes as misappropriating millions in public funds, conflict of interest and taking bribes.

Harris has been recognized as a reformer for trying to improve laws aimed at social problems that help lead to crime. During her campaign, she also rallied opposition to Proposition 23, which sought to suspend California's 2006 global warming law. The measure was rejected by voters.