By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton appeared headed to abig West Virginia victory over front-runner Barack Obama in theDemocratic presidential race on Tuesday, although it could betoo late to turn around her faltering White House bid.
Clinton has an advantage of at least 20 points in mostopinion polls in West Virginia, a bastion of the whiteworking-class voters who have become her strongest supportersin the grueling battle for the Democratic nomination.
But Obama retains a nearly insurmountable advantage indelegates who will select the nominee at the party conventionin August. A big win in West Virginia for the cash-strappedClinton will make barely a dent in Obama's advantage.
Both candidates returned to their jobs in the U.S. Senateon Tuesday morning, where they exchanged a few words whilevoting for a measure aimed at lowering oil prices. Record-highgas prices have been a key issue in the campaign.
A Clinton victory in West Virginia could raise doubts aboutObama's ability to win important swing states in the Novemberelection against Republican John McCain, one of her top aidessaid.
"I think Democrats across the country tomorrow will beasking themselves why Sen. Obama, with all of his money, withall of the great press, with voters being told that he is theinevitable nominee, why did Sen. Obama lose West Virginia by 15points or so?" Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said on NBC's"Today Show."
West Virginia has just 28 delegates at stake in Tuesday'svoting, which ends at 12:30 a.m. British time. Results areexpected shortly afterward.
Clinton, a New York senator and former first lady, hasvowed to keep fighting despite her dwindling prospects and amounting campaign debt.
"I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't believe that I couldbe the best president for West Virginia and America and that Iwas the stronger candidate to take on John McCain in the fall,"she said at a rally in Logan, West Virginia on Monday.
But a newly minted Obama supporter, former Colorado Gov.Roy Romer, said it is now impossible for Clinton to overcomeObama's lead.
"The math is controlling. This race, I believe, is over,"Romer said on a conference call.
Obama, already looking to November, made a quick appearancein West Virginia on Monday and announced plans to visit generalelection battlegrounds Missouri, Michigan and Florida.
DEMOCRATS EXPECT PARTY UNITY
Despite calls from some Democratic officials for Clinton toquit, a new ABC News/Washington Post poll found nearlytwo-thirds of national Democrats say there is no rush forClinton to get out of the race.
The poll found 85 percent of Democrats were confident theparty would come together once it settled on a nominee.
After West Virginia, five more contests remain in theDemocratic nominating battle with a combined 189 delegates atstake. Oregon and Kentucky vote on May 20, while Puerto Ricovotes on June 1 and Montana and South Dakota vote on June 3.
The Obama campaign said it was 147 delegates short of the2,025 needed to clinch the nomination. Neither candidate canwin without help from superdelegates -- nearly 800 partyofficials who are free to back any candidate.
Obama has been gaining ground among superdelegates forweeks. He picked up four more on Tuesday, including New OrleansMayor Ray Nagin, and now has a narrow lead over Clinton amongsuperdelegates, with less than 250 still uncommitted.
The Obama campaign expects win enough superdelegates toclinch the nomination after Kentucky and Oregon vote, campaignchairman David Plouffe said.
(Additional reporting by Deborah Charles, Rick Cowan andAndy Sullivan; Editing by David Wiessler)
(To read more about the U.S. political campaign, visitReuters "Tales from the Trail: 2008" online athttp:/blogs.reuters.com/trail08/)
