'Superdelegates' could decide presidential nomination
Bloomington Herald-Times
Feb. 18, 2008
By Colin Bishop
With the Democratic presidential primary a neck-and-neck race between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the nomination may very well come down to the so-called "superdelegates," Democratic Party appointees whose unpledged votes could decide this year's Democratic nomination.
Indiana has 11 such superdelegates, among them local Reps. Baron Hill and Brad Ellsworth, both of whom say they are undecided as to who they'll endorse at this year's Democratic National Convention.
"I don't think anyone knows how long the race for the Democratic nomination will go," Ellsworth said in a prepared statement. "But I believe the American people should decide who the nominee will be, so I hope it's settled before the national convention."
Hill has also refrained from making an endorsement.
"His position is that he's uncommitted," said Katie Moreau, Hill's press secretary.
Superdelegates are designated by the Democratic National Committee and assigned based on their status as current or former elected officeholders, as well as their membership with the DNC. The superdelegate system is unique to the Democratic Party, and, unlike regular delegates whose votes are pledged based on state primary and caucus results, the superdelegates can cast their nomination vote for whomever they'd like.
"The superdelegate question is that some Democrats think it's wrong that these delegates make an independent decision," said Indiana University political science professor Marjorie Hershey. And if neither candidate has won a majority of the party's delegates going into the Democratic National Convention in late August, then the superdelegates will play a prominent role.
"I think (the superdelegates) probably will end up deciding this race," Hershey said. Because Democratic delegates are assigned proportionally rather than winner-take-all in party primaries, "it will be almost impossible for either candidate to get a majority of the votes for the remainder of the (primary election) season."
Hershey said Obama or Clinton would have to win overwhelmingly in at least some of the remaining state primaries to gain the 2,025-delegate majority required for the party nomination.
Although it appears likely that the Democratic presidential nomination may not be decided before the party convention, Indiana state Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker cautioned against making assumptions. "I think a lot of people are jumping the gun on where we're going to be," Parker said. "I think we should give each candidate a chance to campaign, and we'll see what happens."
Five of Indiana's 11 superdelegates have already pledged their support to Clinton, including Parker and Sen. Evan Bayh. Only one Indiana superdelegate, state party vice-chairwoman Cordelia Lewis-Burks, has endorsed Obama.
Andre Carson would become the state's 12th Democratic superdelegate if he wins a March 11 special election for the 7th District congressional seat. The special election was called because Carson's grandmother, Sen. Julia Carson, died in December.
Indiana's Primary Election Day is May 6.
