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BY AMY DOMINELLO
Media General News Service
WASHINGTON – Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama?
For Richard Ray, a Democratic superdelegate from Georgia, answering that question would stop the daily barrage of e-mails and phone calls from supporters of both candidates.
But Ray won’t tell. The president of the Georgia AFL-CIO is waiting until the Democratic primaries end on June 3 before he makes his decision known.
His opinion matters. He is one of 796 Democratic superdelegates – local activists, congressman, former presidents and others whose votes will determine which candidate gets the right to face Republican John McCain in the fall.
Seven of the superdelegates from Georgia are supporting Obama and three are behind Clinton. As the primary drags on, Ray and the two other Georgia superdelegates that remain publicly uncommitted face increasing pressure to reveal their preferences and bring the long, divisive contest to a swift end.
Ray said he wants to wait until voters in the remaining primary states have had their say before going public.
“The easy way would have been to make a decision four weeks ago,” he said.
When the primaries wrap up next month, neither candidate will have secured enough pledged delegates in those contests to win the nomination. Nearly one in five of the 4,049 delegates who will vote at the party’s convention in August will be superdelegates. A candidate needs 2,025 delegates to win.
Obama’s big win in North Carolina this month broadened his lead over Clinton in pledged delegates. It also convinced some uncommitted superdelegates that Clinton had all but lost the race.
Many more have since come out for Obama than for Clinton. Over the last two weeks, he erased her advantage in superdelegates and now leads 301.5-271, according to a tabulation by the New York Times.
“I think most people wanted to see who was going to take a lead and who was going to be persistent,” said Jane Kidd, the chair of the Georgia Democratic Party, explaining the surge.
Kidd came out in support of Obama because she thought his candidacy would benefit other Democrats running for office across the state. Obama won Georgia’s February primary.
Some superdelegates are basing their decisions on which candidate could boost the chances of other Democrats in the November elections, Kidd and others said.
“An Obama candidacy will be a factor,” she said.
Though Clinton faces long odds to win the nomination now, superdelegates backing the New York senator still see her with the best chance to take back the White House.
And as long as Clinton is in it, the Rev. Randy B. Kelley will stick with her. Clinton, he said, is more knowledgeable and can compete better in battleground states like Ohio and Pennsylvania in the fall.
“I’m solid in my support,” said Kelley, a superdelegate from Gadsden, Ala. “Senator Clinton is a fighter and we need a fighter in the White House.”
Contact Amy Dominello at 202-662-7671 or adominello@mediageneral.com
Georgia Superdelegates (13)
For Obama: (7)
- U.S. Rep. John Barrow of Savannah.
- U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop of Albany.
- Jane V. Kidd of Athens. Chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia.
- U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Atlanta.
- Mary Long of Atlanta. Retired nurse and long-time party activist. Georgia DNC member.
- U.S. Rep. David Scott of Atlanta.
- U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson of Lithonia.
For Clinton (3)
- Michael Thurmond of Athens. Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Labor. First vice chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia and Georgia DNC member.
- Carole Dabbs of Atlanta. Long-time party activist. Georgia DNC member.
- Lonnie Plott of Atlanta. Former electricians’ union leader. Georgia DNC member.
Uncommitted: (3)
- U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall of Macon.
- Richard Ray of Atlanta. President of the Georgia AFL-CIO. Georgia DNC member.
- Former President Jimmy Carter of Plains.
Source: Georgia Democratic Party
Media General News Service
WASHINGTON – Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama?
For Richard Ray, a Democratic superdelegate from Georgia, answering that question would stop the daily barrage of e-mails and phone calls from supporters of both candidates.
But Ray won’t tell. The president of the Georgia AFL-CIO is waiting until the Democratic primaries end on June 3 before he makes his decision known.
His opinion matters. He is one of 796 Democratic superdelegates – local activists, congressman, former presidents and others whose votes will determine which candidate gets the right to face Republican John McCain in the fall.
Seven of the superdelegates from Georgia are supporting Obama and three are behind Clinton. As the primary drags on, Ray and the two other Georgia superdelegates that remain publicly uncommitted face increasing pressure to reveal their preferences and bring the long, divisive contest to a swift end.
Ray said he wants to wait until voters in the remaining primary states have had their say before going public.
“The easy way would have been to make a decision four weeks ago,” he said.
When the primaries wrap up next month, neither candidate will have secured enough pledged delegates in those contests to win the nomination. Nearly one in five of the 4,049 delegates who will vote at the party’s convention in August will be superdelegates. A candidate needs 2,025 delegates to win.
Obama’s big win in North Carolina this month broadened his lead over Clinton in pledged delegates. It also convinced some uncommitted superdelegates that Clinton had all but lost the race.
Many more have since come out for Obama than for Clinton. Over the last two weeks, he erased her advantage in superdelegates and now leads 301.5-271, according to a tabulation by the New York Times.
“I think most people wanted to see who was going to take a lead and who was going to be persistent,” said Jane Kidd, the chair of the Georgia Democratic Party, explaining the surge.
Kidd came out in support of Obama because she thought his candidacy would benefit other Democrats running for office across the state. Obama won Georgia’s February primary.
Some superdelegates are basing their decisions on which candidate could boost the chances of other Democrats in the November elections, Kidd and others said.
“An Obama candidacy will be a factor,” she said.
Though Clinton faces long odds to win the nomination now, superdelegates backing the New York senator still see her with the best chance to take back the White House.
And as long as Clinton is in it, the Rev. Randy B. Kelley will stick with her. Clinton, he said, is more knowledgeable and can compete better in battleground states like Ohio and Pennsylvania in the fall.
“I’m solid in my support,” said Kelley, a superdelegate from Gadsden, Ala. “Senator Clinton is a fighter and we need a fighter in the White House.”
Contact Amy Dominello at 202-662-7671 or adominello@mediageneral.com
Georgia Superdelegates (13)
For Obama: (7)
- U.S. Rep. John Barrow of Savannah.
- U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop of Albany.
- Jane V. Kidd of Athens. Chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia.
- U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Atlanta.
- Mary Long of Atlanta. Retired nurse and long-time party activist. Georgia DNC member.
- U.S. Rep. David Scott of Atlanta.
- U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson of Lithonia.
For Clinton (3)
- Michael Thurmond of Athens. Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Labor. First vice chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia and Georgia DNC member.
- Carole Dabbs of Atlanta. Long-time party activist. Georgia DNC member.
- Lonnie Plott of Atlanta. Former electricians’ union leader. Georgia DNC member.
Uncommitted: (3)
- U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall of Macon.
- Richard Ray of Atlanta. President of the Georgia AFL-CIO. Georgia DNC member.
- Former President Jimmy Carter of Plains.
Source: Georgia Democratic Party