HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) Behind the scenes, he's preparing for the general election. But Senator Barack Obama's next contest is here in West Virginia. The presidential primary is Tuesday May 13. And despite his national success, winning the mountain state will be tough for the Illinois senator.
Despite the calls for her to end her campaign, Hillary Clinton is full speed ahead. Even Barack Obama apparently thinks she'll win big.
"Senator Clinton is a formidable candidate, she is very likely to win West Virginia and Kentucky, those are two states where she's got insurmountable leads,” Obama said.
But is Obama throwing in the towel on West Virginia? His campaign: says no.
The latest polls in the mountain state give Clinton a nearly 40 point lead over Obama.
His best poll performance is just 27 percent.
In a one-on-one with WSAZ, Clinton said this swing state could tip the general election.
"No democrat has been elected president without winning West Virginia since 1916, and I think that the voters of West Virginia have a keen eye about what they want and what kind of president they expect to have,” Clinton said.
The Obama campaign is hoping a 9th inning rally could put him back in the game. WSAZ doesn't know any specific details yet about Senator Obama's visit Monday, but he's expected to make several stops in West Virginia.
Polls open Tuesday, May 13, at 6:30 in the morning until 7:30 in the evening.