Election 2008 Shorts (2nd Update)

• The Associated Press sifts through campaign finance reports from legislative races to see the House and Senate candidates had raised nearly $2 million as of late March. AP also ID's the most flush campaigns, and the big spenders.

• West Virginia's Democratic Party held county-level conventions throughout the state in advance of its main June meeting. The Intelligencer of Wheeling has reports from both Ohio County and Marshall County, The Journal of Martinsburg covered those in the Eastern Panhandle, The Parkersburg News has Wood County's, The Charleston Gazette reports on Kanawha County, and The Register-Herald of Beckley covered Raleigh County's.

• AP also interviewed all four candidates for secretary of state, finding that "updating campaign finance laws, improving voter turnout and changing the way polling places are run are some of the ideas from those wanting" the office.

• Gen. Wesley Clark appeared on MetroNews' Talkine to stump for Hillary Clinton. With audio.

• Both Public Broadcasting (with audio) and The Intelligencer explain changes to the state Democrats' primary convention that allows independent voters to cast ballots with them May 13.

• (Update) The Charleston Daily Mail questions calls made by Supreme Court Justice Larry Starcher on his state-issued cell phone to Menis Ketchum, a Democratic candidate for justice.

• (Update) Will official filings expected this week, the Daily Mail also reports that "Anne Barth, a Democrat in the 2nd Congressional District race, has raised more than $330,000 since she filed her candidacy papers in late January."

• (Update) Jefferson County Commissioner Rusty Morgan is withdrawing from the race for state Senate, following numerous operations to repair detached retinas, The Journal reports.