Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton won the Democratic presidential primary in West Virginia over Senator Barack Obama in voting fueled by strong turnout among the white, working-class voters who have spurned Mr. Obama in recent nominating contests.
Mrs. Clinton appeared headed for a strong victory in the primary, with early returns showing her with a 2-to-1 margin. In recent days, even Mr. Obama, who has not campaigned heavily in the state, has all but conceded the contest to her.
Given Mr. Obama’s leads in the popular vote and delegates, the West Virginia results are likely to have little practical effect on Mrs. Clinton’s chances at winning the nomination. Yet a Clinton victory in another general election battleground state — like her victories in Ohio and Pennsylvania this spring — could raise anew questions about Mr. Obama’s ability to take swing states in a contest against Senator John McCain in the fall.
In exit poll interviews conducted throughout the state by Edison/Mitofsky, nearly two-thirds of West Virginia voters said the economy was the most important issue facing the country, and they backed Mrs. Clinton by a 2-to-1 margin. About 9 in 10 voters say they were affected by the current economic slowdown, including nearly half who said they were affected a great deal. Mrs. Clinton was supported by about three-quarters of those most affected.
Obama still holds the lead in pledged delegates, and picked up four more super-delegates today. One interesting twist here, longtime Clinton supporter James Carville said that Obama would probably be the Democratic nominee:
“I think it’s likely Obama is the nominee, but not certain,” said Mr. Carville, the Democratic strategist who worked for Mr. Clinton in the 1992 campaign and is close to the couple. “I would have preferred another result, but I’m going to be for him.”
“Everybody is going to be with Obama,” he added, referring to Clinton staff and supporters. “I have an undated check written out for Obama. I’ll send it when this is over.”
It is not a good sign to have James Carville, former Clinton strategist and staunch supporter, actually admit that Barack Obama will be the eventual Democratic nominee on the day Clinton wins West Virginia. Even worst, Carville has a check written out for Obama, and ready to be sent once Obama is declared the nominee--or when Hillary drops out.
Not a very encouraging political sign here.
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