Governor Manchin had an easy time fending off freshman Democratic Delegate Mel Kessler of Raleigh County in today's primary.

Running on a record of tax cuts, insurance relief and privatized workers' compensation, the Marion County Democrat also amassed more than 2.4 million dollars in contributions. Kessler had spent less than $12,000 as of late April.

Former state Senator Russ Weeks of Raleigh County was the sole gubernatorial candidate on the Republican side.

Call it the battle of the Jays, take 2.

U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller easily won today's Democratic primary in his quest for a fifth term and will face sole Republican candidate Jay Wolfe of Harrison County in November's general election.

Wolfe also challenged the former West Virginia governor in the 2002 election, which Rockefeller won by 63 percent.

Rockefeller supported Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama despite the fact that state voters overwhelmingly supported Hillary Clinton. Rockefeller says he doesn't regret his endorsement of Obama and is confident Obama will be the party's nominee for the general election.

Rockefeller's challengers in the primary were former state Republican lawmaker Sheirl Fletcher of Morgantown and state Division of Motor Vehicles employee Billy Hendricks Junior of Whitesville.

Hillary Rodham Clinton won a large but largely symbolic victory in West Virginia's primary.

But Barack Obama is still expected to be the Democratic nominee to challenge John McCain in November's presidential election. He remains well ahead in the delegate count.

The Associated Press called West Virginia's primary races early for Clinton and McCain.

Obama conceded defeat in advance in the Mountain State as he looked ahead to the Oregon primary later in the month and the campaign against McCain.

Interviews with West Virginia voters leaving their polling places suggested Clinton's victory in the Mountain State could be as overwhelming as any she has gained to date. It was delivered by an overwhelmingly white electorate comprised of the kinds of voters who favored her in past primaries.

Nearly a quarter were 60 or older, and a similar number had no education beyond high school. More than half were in families with incomes of $50,000 or less.

While both Clinton and Obama have been to West Virginia since launching their campaigns, McCain's first visit to the Mountain State is scheduled for Friday. McCain last toured the state to stump for Republican presidential candidates in 2006.

Photos of West Virginia's top jurist vacationing with the chief executive of a massive coal producer have transformed an otherwise run-of-the-mill election into that state's most closely watched race, while voters in two other states prepared to cast ballots on key congressional seats.

In right-leaning Nebraska's Senate primary, Democrats were battling for the right to take on the GOP to replace longtime Sen. Chuck Hagel. In Mississippi, a special election is giving a socially conservative Democrat the chance to wrest a congressional seat away from the Republicans in the deeply conservative state.

Meanwhile, West Virginia's Jay Rockefeller, who hasn't lost a statewide election since 1972, is facing longshot challenger Sheirl Fletcher in a Democratic Senate primary.

But it's West Virginia's contest among four Democrats for two of its Supreme Court's five seats that's beat other statewide elections for most media attention and campaign cash.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Elliott "Spike" Maynard went from shoe-in to embattled incumbent after photos surfaced in January during a court case that showed him socializing in Monaco with Don Blankenship, chairman and chief executive officer of Massey Energy Co.

Several cases involving the nation's fourth-largest coal producer by revenue were before the high court in July 2006 when the photos were taken. As with most states, West Virginia advises its judiciary to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

"The appearance is overwhelming," said Bruce Green, director of the Louis Stein Center for Law and Ethics at Fordham Law School. "The photos make the relationship obvious and undeniable."

The longtime friends say they decided to meet up after learning they would be in Europe at the same time. But the photos stoked debate over the coal executive's influence with the court.

Maynard denies any wrongdoing, and cites instances in which he has ruled against Massey. But he's also removed himself from a series of Massey-related appeals since January, and has said he'll do the same in the future.

The photos have become campaign fodder for primary challengers Menis Ketchum, a veteran litigator, and Bob Bastress, a West Virginia University law professor. Former Justice Margaret Workman, the race's fourth Democrat, has vowed to "return integrity" without directly invoking the photos.

The Associated Press has filed a lawsuit to obtain Maynard's e-mail, visitor logs and other state Supreme Court records.

The lone Republican in the race is Charleston lawyer Beth Walker.

Candidate spending before the primary has topped $1.4 million, more than any other statewide or congressional race.

The general election isn't for nearly six months, but dozens of West Virginia legislative candidates can relax after tomorrow.

That's because nearly half the races for the House of Delegates won't have major party opposition, along with about a third of Senate races.

According to candidate filings with the Secretary of State's Office, 49 seats in the 100-seat House of Delegates will have no major party opposition in November. Nor will six of the 17 Senate seats up for grabs this year. There are 34 Senate seats, but members are elected in alternating years.

For some candidates, even the primary is no test: 17 candidates for the House and four for the Senate have no opponent in May or November.

The reasons range from the growing expense of campaigning to public satisfaction with an incumbent.

Still, civic groups worry that the lack of opposition gives parties little reason to be responsive in districts they represent.