CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A political race that at times has been acrimonious and tedious has turned downright friendly in West Virginia, a state that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton appears certain to win.

Despite a growing number of observers across the country proclaiming Sen. Barack Obama a lock for the Democratic nomination for president, Mrs. Clinton yesterday was still campaigning, showing no sign of quitting.

"Now, there are some folks who have said, 'We need you to end this before you get to West Virginia.' But I think we want to keep this going so the people of West Virginia's voices are heard," she told a crowd of supporters gathered in the Capitol rotunda, her second West Virginia appearance in two days.

In a 25-minute speech that focused on her favorite issues -- health care, the cost of a college education, fuel prices and ending the war in Iraq -- her only mention of Mr. Obama was a passing reference to how important West Virginia was to both of them.

Meanwhile, Mr. Obama has yet to schedule an event in West Virginia before Tuesday's primary, relying instead on television and radio advertisements that show him helping to solve people's problems. There isn't so much as a mention of Mrs. Clinton.

He spent the day in Washington yesterday meeting with congressional Democrats.

Thirty-nine delegates are at stake in West Virginia. Overall, Mr. Obama now leads by 152, according to the latest Associated Press tally.

"West Virginia is a test," Mrs. Clinton said to the hundreds gathered inside the Capitol. "It's a test for me and Sen. Obama, because for too long we have let places like West Virginia slip out of the Democratic column. And no Democratic president has won the White House since 1916, without winning West Virginia.

"These are the voters who delivered two terms to President Reagan and two terms to President Clinton. The hard-working voters of West Virginia represent the heart and soul of the Democratic Party and the backbone of our victory in November."

For Mrs. Clinton, the state's demographics are nearly ideal.

Exit polling in the 30 Democratic primaries in which both candidates competed shows whites favoring her over Mr. Obama 55 percent to 40 percent, voters over age 65 favoring her 59 percent to 36 percent, and rural voters favoring her 52 percent to 42 percent. Those groups are plentiful in this state.

Obama's strengths are among black voters and college-educated voters, but only 3.3 percent of West Virginians are black and only 16. 5 percent of residents have bachelor's degrees, more than 10 percentage points below the national average, U.S. Census figures show.

West Virginia's median age of 40.7 is four years older than the national median, more than nine in 10 residents are white and the median family income is roughly $12,500 below the national median of about $58,500.

Democratic National Committeeman Pat Maroney, 72, a Charleston lawyer, remembers the last time West Virginia's primary was as momentous -- in 1960, when it served as a steppingstone for John F. Kennedy's run to the White House.

"The Democratic Party has a message that needs to be heard," Mr. Maroney said last night. "We have two strong candidates who are out there, getting that message out."

Mr. Maroney said he and his fellow Mountaineers welcomed the long, grueling campaign to their doorstep.

"The people of West Virginia love fighters. We relish a good, strong, honest political debate," he said. "Those other people out there, they're just anxious to get it over with."

Bill Sharpe, 47, an electrician from Bridgeport, W.Va., and a nephew of state Sen. Bill Sharpe, the longest-sitting senator in the Legislature, is a strong supporter of Mrs. Clinton. He doesn't think the sees the contest will leave Democrats divided.

"Democrats are a family," Mr. Sharpe said. "When we get this race settled -- and Sen. Clinton wins -- we'll all set out to work together. There's not really a division in the party. We just have our differences."

And if, as the experts say, Mr. Obama wins the nomination, Mr. Sharpe said he'll vote for Mr. Obama. ... maybe.

"If Sen. Clinton supports him, then I will, too," he said. "She's our girl."

Jessica Santillo, the Clinton campaign's organizer in Charleston, said the enthusiasm among the electorate was reflected in the large number of volunteers making phone calls, knocking on doors and putting up placards.

"The feeling here is very exciting," she said. "People are so glad that the race has finally landed here and they're a part of it."

Ms. Santillo's counterpart, Debbie Mesloh, has staked out a corner in the back of a Quarrier Street office that is serving as Obama campaign headquarters. She also is seeing a force of inspired volunteers, even though their candidate trails by more than 30 points in the latest poll here.

"West Virginia is going to be harder because of the [lack of] time, it's going to be difficult for us to make up," Ms. Mesloh said. "We were first on TV, first on radio, but it's very local. Who does the local sheriff support and who [do the voters] know? Plus, there's no denying that Bill Clinton is beloved here. He's beloved.

"It's hard for us in West Virginia. [Mr. Obama] just doesn't have enough time for [the voters] to get to know him."

Still, the Obama workers are here, optimistically planting the seeds of a campaign that they hope will bear fruit in the fall.

"We have to be realistic about Tuesday." Ms. Mesloh said. "But, you know, it still feels great when we're in here, seeing the first-time voters. It's amazing to see all the energy that's been a part of it. So even when you lose a state, it doesn't feel like [a defeat]. You can still feel good about what you're doing."

Don't tell the Clinton supporters that the race is over. Nancy Tolliver, 65, a health care worker in Charleston who was in the Capitol yesterday for a meeting of the state Senate Finance Committee upstairs, stopped by to hear Mrs. Clinton, even though she's already voted for her.

"You know, I just don't believe it's over," Ms. Tolliver said. "I believe the people support Hillary, and I'm just so proud of her that she's not quitting and is taking this battle all the way."

And if Mrs. Clinton is mulling whether to call it quits, she gave no indication of it yesterday as she pitched her resume and rattled off the states that she'd won -- including Michigan and Florida, where neither candidate campaigned and whose delegations have been denied seats at the convention -- and then headed to campaign stops in South Dakota, Oregon and Kentucky,

"West Virginia is battling some of the toughest problems we face," she said. "The problem has been that you haven't had a partner in the White House. Well, we're going to be there for you, West Virginia. A president who never gives up on you."