Despite polls showing Hillary Clinton clearly ahead in West Virginia, Sen. Barack Obama's campaign is moving into gear in the Mountain State.

More than 20 Obama staff members are now working the state under the tutelage of longtime campaigner Ashley Walker. A veteran of Florida politics who has been serving as Obama's regional political director based in Chicago, Walker has been named West Virginia state director.

"Our campaign is focused on building a true grass-roots organization in West Virginia ahead of the May 13 primary," said Amy Brundage, an Obama spokeswoman. "We are going to work hard to bring new West Virginia voters into our movement for change and bring Senator Obama's message to working families across the state."

The campaign also has announced it has opened a headquarters in Charleston. Supporters and volunteers will gather at the 1021 Quarrier St. building on Saturday at 4 p.m. to celebrate the opening.

The campaign also announced Wednesday that Rachel Sigman, who served as a regional field director for Obama in Nevada, will be the field director for the West Virginia campaign.

She will be joined by veteran West Virginia campaigner Clete Johnson, who has worked in U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller's office for the past two years, as Obama's West Virginia political director.

"We are focused on building a true grass-roots organization in West Virginia ahead of the May 13 primary and will work hard to reach out to bring new voters into the process," said Walker. "Our Charleston headquarters will give our supporters and volunteers an opportunity to get involved on the ground level and help grow Barack Obama's movement for change in Charleston and across the state."

The latest public poll available has shown Clinton, D-N.Y., leading Obama, D-Ill., by 28 points in West Virginia.

The Rasmussen poll showed Clinton up 55 percent to 27 percent among likely Democratic voters. Additionally, she was viewed favorably by 72 percent of those polled, while Obama was viewed favorably by 53 percent.

Conservative political commentator Bill Kristol predicted Tuesday on Metro News' statewide radio talk show that the state's May 13 date will come too late. He believes Clinton will lose a tight race to Obama in Pennsylvania on April 22 where 187 delegates are at stake. Latest polls showed Clinton leading by more than six points there.

That, Kristol said, would be followed by Obama wins in Indiana, with 85 delegates, and North Carolina with 134 delegates. That, he predicted, would effectively put Clinton out of the race prior to West Virginia's May 13 election.

Despite polls showing Hillary Clinton clearly ahead in West Virginia, Sen. Barack Obama's campaign is moving into gear in the Mountain State.

More than 20 Obama staff members are now working the state under the tutelage of longtime campaigner Ashley Walker. A veteran of Florida politics who has been serving as Obama's regional political director based in Chicago, Walker has been named West Virginia state director.

"Our campaign is focused on building a true grass-roots organization in West Virginia ahead of the May 13 primary," said Amy Brundage, an Obama spokeswoman. "We are going to work hard to bring new West Virginia voters into our movement for change and bring Senator Obama's message to working families across the state."

The campaign also has announced it has opened a headquarters in Charleston. Supporters and volunteers will gather at the 1021 Quarrier St. building on Saturday at 4 p.m. to celebrate the opening.

The campaign also announced Wednesday that Rachel Sigman, who served as a regional field director for Obama in Nevada, will be the field director for the West Virginia campaign.

She will be joined by veteran West Virginia campaigner Clete Johnson, who has worked in U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller's office for the past two years, as Obama's West Virginia political director.

"We are focused on building a true grass-roots organization in West Virginia ahead of the May 13 primary and will work hard to reach out to bring new voters into the process," said Walker. "Our Charleston headquarters will give our supporters and volunteers an opportunity to get involved on the ground level and help grow Barack Obama's movement for change in Charleston and across the state."

The latest public poll available has shown Clinton, D-N.Y., leading Obama, D-Ill., by 28 points in West Virginia.

The Rasmussen poll showed Clinton up 55 percent to 27 percent among likely Democratic voters. Additionally, she was viewed favorably by 72 percent of those polled, while Obama was viewed favorably by 53 percent.

Conservative political commentator Bill Kristol predicted Tuesday on Metro News' statewide radio talk show that the state's May 13 date will come too late. He believes Clinton will lose a tight race to Obama in Pennsylvania on April 22 where 187 delegates are at stake. Latest polls showed Clinton leading by more than six points there.

That, Kristol said, would be followed by Obama wins in Indiana, with 85 delegates, and North Carolina with 134 delegates. That, he predicted, would effectively put Clinton out of the race prior to West Virginia's May 13 election.

Not so fast, local Clinton supporters and workers said.

Jessica Santillo, a Clinton spokeswoman who has been in the state working for weeks, believes West Virginia will still count.

"Absolutely," she said. "Hillary is committed to making sure every state has its say."

She and Talley Sergent, state campaign director, have worked to put together a grass-roots campaign in the state and will open an official headquarters in Charleston next week.

They have a number of paid workers, but Santillo said they also have a huge number of campaign volunteers.

Neither campaign has announced additional visits from candidates in the near future.

After West Virginia's May 13 primary, Kentucky and Oregon will hold May 20 elections. Candidates will then move into June with Puerto Rico's election set for June 1 and the last being the June 3 elections of Montana and South Dakota.

While West Virginia has 39 delegates, only 18 will be elected in the primary.

Ten delegates are super delegates. Of these, Obama has been endorsed by Rockefeller and  Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va. At least three others have committed to Clinton.

The remaining delegates will be chosen at the state Democratic Party convention in June, based on the proportion of votes each candidate receives.

To contact staff writer Tom Searls, use e-mail or call 348-5198.