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2008 Actual 11/4/2008	American Research 11/3/2008	Public Policy 10/30/2008	Reuters/Zogby 10/27/2008	2004 Actual 11/2/2004

West Virginia, which seceded from Virginia (which itself had seceded from the Union) during the Civil War, became its own state in June 1863. It and Nevada were the only states admitted during the war, although Kansas became a state in early 1861, just a couple months before the hostilities began. Although the state has gone Republican in the last 3 elections, including a 56% to 43% win by John McCain over Barack Obama in 2008, the state is primarily Democratic at the local and state levels. Of the presidential elections from statehood through 2008, voters went Democratic 20 out of 37 times. Much of this back –and forth (at least in recent history) can be attributed to the shifting views of the large blue-collar vote in the state. While expected to lean “red” in 2012, West Virginia could become a swing state, depending on the eventual match-up.

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