FAIRMONT - Hillary Clinton looked set to win West Virginia's presidential primary by a landslide yesterday but unlikely to break Barack Obama's stranglehold on the Democratic nomination.

FAIRMONT - Hillary Clinton looked set to win West Virginia's presidential primary by a landslide yesterday but unlikely to break Barack Obama's stranglehold on the Democratic nomination.

The former first lady, vowing to battle on even as Obama turns his sights on Republican presumptive nominee Senator John McCain, led her foe by 36 points in the latest poll out of the mountainous state. Polling stations opened at 6.30am yesterday in the rural state that carries the prize of 28 delegates.

"West Virginia has a record of picking presidents," Clinton said at a campaign stop late on Monday, as she pressed home her claim that she, and not Obama, was the best Democratic White House candidate.

"A Democrat doesn't win the White House without winning West Virginia. So tomorrow it's going to be your turn."

Clinton said some wanted to call the nomination race over, but "they don't understand politics, because West Virginia really matters".

The New York senator was also faring well in Kentucky, which votes next Tuesday, where she was up 58percent to 31percent for Obama. Huge wins for Clinton in both states will do little to erode Obama's advantage in the epic Democratic nominating contest, which he leads in every category. - Sapa-AFP