With yesterday’s endorsements by Congresspeople Bruce Braley (IA), Baron Hill (IN), and Lois Capps (CA), Barack Obama now moves into the lead of superdelegate endorsements by Governors, Senators, and Representatives.
Office | Obama | Clinton | No Endorsement | Advantage |
Governors | 14 | 11 | 6 | O +3 |
Senators | 18 | 13 | 17 | O +5 |
Representatives | 78 | 77 | 70 | O +1 |
Data via Dem Con Watch – see updated sidebar for latest numbers. |
At this point, Clinton’s ever-narrowing lead amongst superdelegates is relegated to DNC officials and so-called "Party Leaders." More on these numbers, and the so-called "Party Leaders" below the jump.
Prior to these three latest endorsements, Obama trailed in Representatives, 75-77. Now, he can be proud of the fact that a majority of pledged superdelegates at all levels of elected government favor his candidacy.
Clinton’s overall lead in superdelegates has been steadily shrinking, as this graphic from DemConWatch demonstrates:
Furthermore, as the number of uncommitted delegates drops lower and lower, Clinton continually loses what little opportunity she has to steal the nomination away from the voters, by wooing superdelegates to overturn Obama’s lead in votes, states, and regular old non-super pledged delegates.
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Why do elected Democrats of all stripes support Obama? Easy: he’s a tremendous fundraiser, and appeals to a wide variety of voters who might not otherwise vote Democratic.
Obama Is A Proven Fundraiser.
Elected officials like fundraisers, because it helps keep them just that -- elected. Obama has demonstrated unprecedented fundraising prowess for candidates up and down the ballot, helping to grow and strengthen our party. Check out this article from The Washington Post on November 7, 2006, the election day on which the Democrats reclaimed the House and Senate:
Despite his brief two years on the national stage, Obama has generated rapturous enthusiasm among Democrats, and he has said he is considering a presidential run. His success on the campaign trail in recent weeks has added to his cachet.
The Obama blitz started on Oct. 5 with a fundraiser in New York City for the state's congressional candidates. The next day he flew to Florida for a rally and fundraiser, and then he moved on to Kansas City, Minnesota and Ohio. By the 13th, he had held fundraisers for all the Senate Democratic candidates, collecting $2 million. On Oct. 25 and 26, Obama sent a joint fundraising e-mail to supporters of Kerry and to MoveOn.org, the antiwar group, and raised a total of $1.6 million, all for individual congressional candidates.
The freshman senator paused in the middle of the month for book-related events, then raced through Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Colorado and Washington state. Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs estimates that Obama has visited all the main Senate battlegrounds at least three times. Another mainstay is Massachusetts, where Obama was an early supporter of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deval Patrick, who is favored to win today, and who, like Obama, is African American.
He works hard for the party, and we can thank his fundraising skills and the media attention he focuses on these lower-ticket races for helping to make Election Day 2006 one to celebrate.
Obama Has A Wide Voter Appeal.
Obama can win in Red States. Hillary cannot. She bases her rationale on winning the same states we’ve always won. Obama bases his on growing the party, contesting districts where we’ve never won before, and convincing voters to go for the Democrats. This is how we grow our party. I don’t want to win with 50.1% and "same old, same old." That strategy has failed our country. I want to win big, and win with a candidate who as a vision of leadership and wants to move our country in a new and positive direction. I also want a candidate who is willing to campaign in Red States. Hillary’s not:
"With all due respect, unless there is a tsunami change in America, we are never going to carry Alaska, North Dakota, Idaho, it’s just not going to happen, but we have to carry the states I’ve been carrying, the primary states, the states that have to be in the winning Democratic column."—Senator Hillary Clinton
I want a tsunami change. Our country needs that change, desperately. Barack Obama is the candidate who represents our opportunity to realize it.
Hillary’s statement is of little comfort to Democrats running in Red States. I wonder how Mark Begich, Larry LaRocco, or Walt Minnick feel about her statement, let alone the legions of staffers and volunteers helping to get such great Red State Democrats elected.
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What About the Other Superdelegates? The Not-Elected Ones?
Let’s expand our earlier table a little:
Office/Position | Obama | Clinton | No Endorsement | Advantage |
Governors | 14 | 11 | 6 | O +3 |
Senators | 18 | 13 | 17 | O +5 |
Representatives | 78 | 77 | 70 | O +1 |
DNC Members | 118 | 143 | 137 | O -25 |
"Distinguished
Party Leaders" | 4 | 10 | 5 | O -6 |
Data via Dem Con Watch – see updated sidebar for latest numbers. |
Interesting. So Clinton’s superdelegate lead comes only through party insiders and those who don’t have to deal with her name on the top of their ballot this fall or any other year. My question, however, is for the undecided DNC member superdelegates, and the remaining party leaders (including Al Gore and Jimmy Carter) – don’t you want to support the candidate best capable of getting more Democrats elected this fall?
And if you don’t want to help more and better Democrats get elected this fall, how in the hell can you call yourself a party leader?