Election 2008: Governor

While race has emerged as an issue among state residents in the presidential contest, "quietly, discreetly, with practically no one paying attention, the West Virginia gubernatorial race has swept away the last remnants of some old and ugly notions," The Associated Press reports.

"For the first time ever, both major party candidates for the office are Roman Catholics, members of a church whose members make up barely 4 percent of West Virginia's population," AP's Tom Breen reports. "(Gov Joe) Manchin, the first Catholic elected governor of the state, is running for a second term against former Raleigh County state Sen. Russ Weeks, a fellow Catholic."

Their shared faith also contributes to their views on such issues as abortion, though "Weeks argues Manchin should do more to limit the procedure, such as supporting legislation to reduce Medicaid funding for abortions."