Clinton wins big in W.Va., vows to 'carry on'

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) declares victory in West Virginia. (Video provided by MSNBC.com.)

By Samuel Rubenfeld
Senior News Editor

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) won the West Virginia party by a wide margin, holding a more than two-to-one lead with 54 percent of precincts reporting, by winning white and lower-income voters who have eluded Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) at times during the primary season.

Ninety-five percent of voters were white, according to exit polls. Twenty-two percent of voters said race was an important factor, and 81 percent of those voters came to the polls for Clinton.

Clinton's win nets her 10 delegates, according to NBC News, but the win does not greatly blunt Obama's momentum for the Democratic nomination, because he still holds a significant lead in states won, pledged delegates, popular vote and superdelegates.

The victory could, however, raise questions about Obama's ability to win the support of white, working-class voters, a potential weak spot the Clinton campaign has stressed recently.

“I’m more determined than ever to carry on this campaign until everyone has the chance to make their voices heard,” Clinton said at a victory rally in Charleston, W.Va.

She said she will carry on her campaign through June 3, when South Dakota holds the final primary in the Democratic nominating contests.

Obama conceded late Tuesday afternoon at a campaign event in Missouri, where he said he still had work to do to earn the nomination.

"We haven’t resolved this nomination," he said. "It would be presumptuous of me to pretend like I’ve already won and start talking about who my vice president’s going to be."

Clinton wins W.Va. by wide margin

By Samuel Rubenfeld
Senior News Editor

The Associated Press calls Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) the winner by a two-to-one margin based on exits as the polls close in West Virginia. Details as the votes come in.