West Virginia will have its first female U.S. senator

CHARLESTON, W.Va., May 14 (UPI) -- No matter who wins November's election, West Virginia is poised to send its first woman to the U.S. Senate with both major parties picking female candidates.

Secretary of State Natalie Tennant won Tuesday's Democratic primary with almost 78 percent of the vote. On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito got 87 percent.

Both women defeated two male candidates with little money or support. They are running for the seat left open by Democrat Jay Rockefeller's decision to retire after 30 years.

Tennant, 46, is a West Virginia native who worked in television news and owned Wells Media Group with her husband, state Sen. Erik Wells. She was elected secretary of state in 2008.

Capito, the daughter of former Gov. Arch Moore Jr., became the first Republican woman to represent the state in Congress in 2001.

Both women had easy primary victories. But the coming campaign, in a state that has been turning more Republican, is expected to be hard fought.