West Virginia Democratic governor Earl Ray Tomblin has reportedly won the race for governor, according to The Associated Press.
Mr. Tomblin, the state Senate president from Logan County, has been acting as governor since last year, when Manchin was elected to the U.S. Senate last year. The West Virginia Democrat easily won a crowded Democratic primary. Republican businessman Bill Maloney, who has never held public office, tightened up the race in recent weeks.
The election results follow a race that was largely defined by Republican attempts to connect President Obama and Mr. Tomblin’s administration. Polls showed Mr. Tomblin as the more popular of the two candidates, however, a last-minute onslaught of negative ads was thought to provide a boost for Mr. Maloney.
Still, in the final television commercial of his campaign, Mr. Tomblin went up last Wednesday on West Virginia airwaves with an ad that highlighted the support he has received from former West Virginia governor Joe Manchin, one of the most popular politicians in the state.
Mr. Tomblin will now finish out the final year of Mr. Manchin’s gubernatorial term. As Senate president, Mr. Tomblin has been filling the vacancy as called for by the state constitution.
