Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton handily won the West Virginia primary Tuesday, but the momentum belongs to her rival, Sen. Barack Obama.

Mr. Obama has virtually conceded next week's contest in Kentucky and has begun campaigning in states that figure to be battlegrounds for the general election. He was in Missouri Tuesday and planned to visit Michigan today.

Only 28 delegates were up for grabs in West Virginia. It seems that the race hit a decisive point last week when Mr. Obama won North Carolina and came close in Indiana.

At this point, the Illinois senator leads in states won, delegates elected in primaries, superdelegates and the nationwide popular vote.

Before Tuesday, Mr. Obama had gathered 1,871 delegates, 154 shy of the 2,025 needed to clinch the nomination. New York Sen. Clinton had 1,697 — 328 short.

There are 400 delegates left — 189 to be awarded in primaries remaining after Tuesday and the rest uncommitted superdelegates. There is a possibility that Mr. Obama could secure the nomination when primary voting ends on June 3.

Mrs. Clinton's campaign is $20 million in debt — an indication of desperation.

The latest superdelegate to throw his lot with Mr. Obama is Roy Romer, former Democratic National Committee chairman, who encouraged Mrs. Clinton to drop out. "This race, I believe, is over," said Mr. Romer, a former governor of Colorado.

But the New York senator and former first lady has insisted on persevering in the race.