NATIONAL ELECTION RETURNS : State-by-State Election Reports of Key Races and Issues : West Virginia

CHARLESTON —  Michael S. Dukakis and George Bush were locked in a dead heat for West Virginia’s six electoral votes as vote counting continued.

U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, a five-term veteran who intends to step down as Senate majority leader, defeated a bid for his seat by freshman GOP state Sen. Jay Wolfe. The Republican was unable to match Byrd’s well-financed campaign and slick television spots and prompted an outcry with one of his own anti-abortion ads that showed a bloody fetus.

For the governorship, GOP warhorse Gov. Arch Moore, 65, fought an uphill battle against a wealthy newcomer, insurance executive Gaston Caperton, in a state with a slumping economy. Caperton portrayed himself as a welcome change from the three-term governor.

With 12% of the vote in, Caperton led 37,820 votes or 61% to 24,621 votes or 39% for Moore. CBS projected a win by Caperton.

Caperton, a Charleston insurance executive seeking his first political office, spent $2.1 million to win a seven-way primary and more than $1.7 million against Moore. He built up a double-digit lead over Moore in pre-election polls as voters registered dissatisfaction with high unemployment and a state economy that had to borrow $80 million to keep operating this year.

But Moore, who must rely on crossover support in heavily Democratic West Virginia, traditionally fares better than the polls indicate.

Three of the state’s four congressmen, all Democrats, faced token opposition.