Of all that states that remain on the primary calendar, West Virginia is probably the state that will be most difficult for Obama to win. So, it’s significant that he has not only picked up the endorsement of Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Jay Rockefeller, but the endorsement of House Natural Resources chairman Nick Rahall.
Rahall told CQ Politics Thursday that he privately made his commitment to Obama about 10 days ago and will officially endorse the delegate leader in the Democratic presidential primary sometime before voters in his state go to the polls.
“The new voters he has brought to the process this year and the new direction, in my opinion, add up to what our country needs,” Rahall said.
Obama has struggled to win the support of the type of working-class white voters who populate much of Rahall’s 3rd district in the southern portion of the state. In the Ohio primary on Tuesday, many of them backed Hillary Rodham Clinton , and Rahall acknowledged that his pick may be out of step with the leanings of the Democratic voters in his district.“I recognize this may not be a popular decision in my district,” he said. The district has the third‑lowest median income in the country.
West Virginia doesn’t hold its primary until May 13th. On another positive note, NV State Party Vice Chairwoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson endorsed Obama today, too, narrowing Clinton’s superdelegate lead to 254-215.
