West Virginia

Sen. Robert Byrd's death in June shook up West Virginia politics. Gov. Joe Manchin appointed Carte Goodwin to fill the seat of the legendary Democrat. But instead of waiting for Byrd's term to expire in two years, Manchin and the legislature decided to hold a special election this year. Goodwin isn't running, but Manchin is – and the popular Democratic governor is expected to win easily. Manchin has two years left in his term as governor. If he's elected to the Senate, Lt. Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin would take over as the state's chief executive until an election in 2011 or 2012.There was another political tremor in the Mountain State earlier this year, when 14-term Rep. Alan Mollohan lost May's Democratic primary to state Sen. Mike Oliverio. Republican David McKinley is Oliverio's general election opponent and some polls show the race in the 1st District is a tossup. McCain won West Virginia in 2008.