MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) -- West Virginia voters have given Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin a full term as the state's chief executive.
A Democrat, Tomblin shook off attempts by Republican Bill Maloney to link him to President Barack Obama. The president is unpopular in the state, and lost its five electoral votes to GOP hopeful Mitt Romney on Tuesday.
Tomblin and Maloney also sparred over whether the state has made progress after decades of economic woes. Tomblin was the state's longest serving Senate president when he began acting as governor in 2010. Maloney is a drilling consultant and business owner from Morgantown.
Maloney narrowly lost to Tomblin last year, in a special election for completing an unexpired term.
Several third-party and write-in candidates also ran this year, including the Mountain Party's Jesse Johnson.
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- West Virginia voters must again decide who should be governor after narrowly answering the question just over a year ago.
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin narrowly defeated Republican Bill Maloney in a special election last October. The seat is now up for a full four-year term.
A Democrat, Tomblin says that the state has made progress while he's been governor and previously during his tenure as state Senate president.
Maloney believes the state needs big changes. He questions how West Virginia has fared under Tomblin and other Democrats.
Republicans also have sought to make President Barack Obama an issue in the race. Obama is unpopular in the state, and Tomblin has cited his pursuit of a legal challenge of the president's coal-related policies.
Several third-party and write-in candidates also are running.
WVVA News will have the race covered from both sides Tuesday night. Josh Frketic is at Tomblin's headquarters in Charleston, while Stephanie Crace will have reaction from Maloney in Morgantown.
